Taylor: Future of the Past
by WarBabyMoon
Summary: Another addition to the series of stories about my OC Taylor Hatake going into the past. This time, her 6-year-old self is in the past while her grandfather's friend is in the future and now, a special someone from the future is in the past in order to save the future of Konoha and the world. Who is this mysterious man and what is the future of Konoha and the world?
1. A 6-Year-Old Taylor!

**A/N:** This is another addition to my Naruto Fanfics about my OC Taylor Hatake with my big sister's OCs. This was an unexpected story but to try and get my creative juices flowing again, I began randomly writing something down and then this story spawned from the depths of hell. Now, it's going to be something interesting and I can't wait to finish it!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _Naruto_ and I do not own Coushander Hatake, Harou Nekai, Dalzen Morino, Hoseki Kano and idk if Saru will appear, maybe he will, but I also do not own Ryouma 'Saru-Shin' Hatake. I do, however, own Taylor Hatake!

 **Genre** : Is there a genre for misadventure? Because that's what this is. LOL.

 **Summary** : After a huge battle outside the village, Sakumo is exhausted and passes out and 6-year-old Taylor Hatake has no choice but to leave him and run back to the village for help. However, Taylor never makes it back. She gets lost in the forest and trips, finding herself in a different time—the time her grandfather was a child, and 6 months after her 12-year-old self entered the past and left. Getting to see his great-granddaughter again makes Coushander happy, but one day when Harou said he'd come over, he doesn't and even Coushander begins to worry where Harou was. No one knows, however Kakashi and Sakumo do—Harou is in their time. What is going on? And what is causing these strange happenings?

* * *

 **Chapter One**  
A 6-Year-Old Taylor Hatake?

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It was a dark, dreary night in May in the forest outside of Konohagakure. Rain continuously poured from the sky, soaking through the clothes of those who dared to tread through the rain. By morning, there was a dense fog hovering over Konoha, creating an eerie scene and gave a mysterious feel to the early morning hours. However, the rain the previous evening didn't stop a battle from breaking out in and outside of Konoha. Nothing stopped the battle. No one knew who attacked, but whoever it was left with their tail in between their legs as they were defeated mercilessly by the Konoha shinobi.

But something was wrong. Sakumo Hatake didn't know what was wrong, but after his battle he was panting and scared to death. This was the first time he'd been attacked while his 6-year-old granddaughter was there with him and he had no idea how he would protect her, but he somehow was able to protect her while fending off the enemy. She stayed on his shoulders the entire time, and she did not sleep the entire night as her grandpa fought. When morning came, the enemy fled and Sakumo was able to breathe a sigh of relief. He stood still as he tried to catch his breath.

"Oh god, I'm so tired," he panted.

Taylor climbed off her grandpa's back with a white bear in her arms and the tiny shinobi made her way to stand in front of him.

"Grandpa, are you okay?" she asked sheepishly.

He looked at her, "Y-Yes, sweetheart. I'm fine."

"Should I go get Daddy?" Taylor asked, clutching the bear tightly out of fear.

Sakumo looked at her and before he could speak, he closed his eyes and fainted. Taylor made a high-pitched 'EEK!' and panicked.

"Grandpa?! Grandpa?!" she squeaked.

She bent down and shook him, "Grandpa! What's wrong, why aren't you waking up?" Tears immediately filled her eyes, "Grandpa...!" She looked around. She actually had no idea where in the woods they were, and with the fog she was disoriented. Without thinking, she took off in a direction she thought would take her back to the village or even to her father. Someone! "Grandpa, I'll be back with Daddy!"

Taylor made her way through the thick, muggy air and the dense fog, trying to find her way to someone she knew. The humid air made her hair cling to her face, which was wet and dirty from being out in the rain and muck. Soon, Taylor found her legs were tired and eventually she tripped and fell over a large tree root, the bear she was still carrying flew out of her arms but somehow, she was unaware it happened. As a 6-year-old and just fresh out of the academy shinobi, Taylor was still very intolerant of pain and so when she fell and twisted her ankle, she gave a loud cry of pain.

It took a few minutes, but when she sat up she tried to get back up again but her ankle forbade it with even more pain. She looked around and blinked pained tears from her eyes. No one was there, her ankle was hurt and she couldn't walk. No point in calling for Grandpa though, he was unconscious.

Tears kept coming. She knew she had to get Daddy but she had no way of getting him now and she was scared Grandpa would die. The 6-year-old shinobi found herself crying. She knew she shouldn't cry but in this situation how could she not?

Soon, she felt a hand on her shoulder and she was startled out of her crying. She turned and looked, seeing a man about as old as her grandfather if not older. He was about average height, maybe about 5'11". Taylor couldn't tell for sure. The man seemed to be wearing an old Konoha messenger's uniform and he wore all black except for his sandals and his _hitai-ate_ which was tied on his left arm. He had very short, sandy brown hair and very light-grey eyes that gently gazed at her, studying her features. He almost looked like he recognized her but since she wasn't good at reading expressions yet, she didn't know what the expression actually said.

"Hey, what're you doing out here all by yourself, little one?" he asked in a gentle voice.

Taylor swallowed hard, "Who're you?"

He smiled, "Harou. Nekai Harou. And you, Miss?"

Taylor fell quiet, nervous about a stranger. But, he seemed friendly enough. Maybe he was a friend of Grandpa's. She blinked away another tear and rubbed her face.

"Taylor. Hatake Taylor," she answered with a sniffle.

"H-Hatake? You don't mean...Coushander had another child? Oh! But how?!" Harou was shocked.

" _Yare-Yare_ , Harou," came a voice only familiar to Harou. They looked up and saw another man— a man with jet black hair, ebony eyes and surprisingly tall and definitely handsome. His expression was serious but his eyes showed some playfulness, whatever passed as playfulness for this man as Harou knew him very well and knew him to not be very playful. "Sakumo is at it again, eh?"

"Dalzen!" Harou exclaimed. "Can't you tell that this isn't Sakumo, but rather this is a young lady?"

Dalzen Morino hopped down, "A young girl? And her hair is messy and silver too..."

"She says her name is 'Taylor Hatake'," Harou said. "But I don't recall Coushander having more than one child."

Dalzen's eyes widened, "You mean that she's back from the future?"

"What?" Harou raised an eyebrow and stared at Dalzen with confusion. "What are you talking about, you lunatic?"

Taylor looked up at Dalzen with her piercing-blue gaze and Dalzen gasped.

"Oh no way!" he muttered in disbelief. "She's Taylor...but not the same one we met six months ago. This is a much younger Taylor."

Taylor and Harou both stared at Dalzen in confusion. Dalzen shook his head, "No way, I can't believe it."

"You mean she's been here before?" Harou asked.

"Yes and no," Dalzen reached down and scooped up Taylor to hold in his arms. "You see, back in November, she came from the future but she was 12. We tried to keep it secret from you, Takato, and most everyone in the village and well...it worked. Until now. But this Taylor is a much younger one. Taylor, how old are you?"

Taylor held up five fingers on one hand and one on the other hand.

"I'm 6," she said.

Harou stood up with his hands on his waist.

"So, she's a future Hatake heir?" he asked.

"Oh my," Dalzen gave a wry laugh. "Boy, you could say she's a Hatake heir. This child takes after her great-grandfather!"

He suddenly felt Taylor squirming in his arms and she buried her face in his chest.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Dalzen asked.

"It hurts!" she cried.

"What hurts?" Dalzen asked, confused.

"Um, look at her ankle," Harou pointed and Dalzen looked, realizing he was hurting her injured foot, obviously twisted. She started crying again and Harou panicked, "Dalzen!"

Dalzen panicked, "Uh! I saw Kano at Coushander's, let's go there!"

"She's all dirty," Harou pointed out as they rushed out of the deep woods.

"Well, Kano'll give her a bath then," Dalzen muttered.

...

When Sakumo finally came to, Kakashi was crouched right over him shaking him awake.

"Dad. Dad. Wake up! Taylor's missing!"

Sakumo groaned softly, "What do you mean? Didn't she come find you?"

"No," Kakashi glared. "What happened?"

Sakumo tried to sit up but Kakashi held him down.

"Kakashi..." Sakumo grunted. "You idiot, let me sit up."

"Not until you tell me where my daughter is!" Kakashi growled.

"Kakashi, I have no idea where she is," Sakumo coughed. "I thought she was going to get you because after our battle outside here, I fainted. Kakashi, let me sit up! God damn, boy."

Kakashi let his father sit up and Sakumo put his hand on his head, wincing heavily. He looked up at his son, looking more than hurt and Kakashi realized that it wasn't Sakumo's fault.

"Are you okay...?" he asked.

"Absolutely not, especially now that I know my granddaughter is missing," he grunted. "Can you help me up, Kakashi?"

"Sure..." Kakashi helped him up and Sakumo stood up slowly but once he was standing, he wasn't about to fall back down. "What do we do?"

"We need to search for her," Sakumo told him.

"You're hurt though," Kakashi pointed out.

"I don't care," Sakumo said. "We need to find Taylor."

"If you're sure you're up to it," Kakashi sighed.

"I have to," Sakumo grunted. "Please..."

Kakashi relented, "Fine. Let's go."

Sakumo stood up and they began their search for the missing youngest Hatake, whom little did they know was in the past...scared and surrounded by strangers and hurt.

...

Dalzen knocked on Coushander's door, still holding a little Taylor, who was really uncomfortable from pain and because she didn't know the person holding her. Harou was still, at this point, questioning Dalzen's sanity. From the future? Dalzen must've hit his head somehow and hit it very hard because even the genjutsu master wouldn't believe such a thing...or would he?

Harou crossed his arms and looked at the little girl, still burying her face in Dalzen's chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. Dalzen readjusted his hold on Taylor as the door opened with Coushander peeking out, looking confused.

"Well, uhm...who did I manage to piss off this time to merit you and Harou knocking on my door?" Coushander asked.

"Probably God," Harou answered seriocomically.

"Why do you say that, Harou-san?"

"Well, Coushander, why don't you take a close look at who is in my arms?" Dalzen suggested.

"What—" Coushander glanced down at Dalzen's arms and shock filled his mist-blue eyes as the little girl turned her head and looked at him with piercing blue and tear-filled eyes. Suddenly, they heard Kano call from behind.

"Who's at the d—" came Kano as she walked up from behind Coushander. "Huh?"

Coushander reached his arms out to hold Taylor.

"Oh my word! Is that her?!" he asked, startled to see her.

"Sorta," Dalzen responded. "I believe that this is a younger Taylor. Something tells me that she got caught in a time jutsu but since she is 6, she has no clue what is going on." He handed Coushander his beloved great-granddaughter and the elder took her from his arms with care.

"Hey, be careful, her ankle may be twisted," Harou warned. "When I found her, her ankle looked like it was at a funny angle."

Coushander was oblivious as he continued to awe over her. Neither one of them had seen Coushander look so happy in years and it was a surprisingly nice change from him always being cantankerous. Kano looked at Taylor and Taylor looked at Kano, timidness showed in her eyes.

"W-Who are you people?" she asked. "I never have met any of you."

"Oh you will meet us, but for now," Kano smiled gently at her, pointing at Coushander. "This lunatic right here is your great-grandpa Counshander. I'm his wife, Kano."

Taylor looked at Coushander, "Kousa? Kano?"

Kano flinched at her saying 'Kousa', fearing he would get upset at her. Amazingly enough, he just smiled at her and nodded.

"Hey Taylor," he greeted. "How are you, little one?"

Taylor just blinked at them and Dalzen sighed.

"Coushander, don't you think she should get a bath?" he asked.

"Oh my," Kano remarked. "That is true. Coushander, you're getting your white kimono dirty!"

"What? I don't care," Coushander shrugged.

"Wait, what would she even change into after the bath?" Dalzen realized. "My daughter is a few years older than her, she's not even close to Taylor's height anymore. My son is older. I doubt there's any left over clothing from when they were her age."

"Well, I have a 7-year-old," Harou pointed out. "Dura. I mean, he's a boy but...judging by Taylor's appearance, I'm guessing she's not a fan of girly things anyways."

Dalzen nodded, "Oh she does not like to wear anything girly. She's told some stories about when she was little she would refuse to let her father dress her in a dress. Supposedly, he gave up quickly and didn't bother with dresses or skirts anymore."

"Aww," Harou chuckled. "Well, I suppose I'll go get her some clothing. I'm pretty sure there are some outfits he doesn't fit anymore but still has because no one has sifted through his clothing."

"Thank you," Kano smiled. "It's appreciated.

"Yeah, I'll stay here with Kano and Coushander," Dalzen agreed.

"That's fine by me," Harou shrugged. "I'll be back soon."

"Stay safe," Dalzen warned. "we still don't know how Taylor got here. Hell, I don't think she knows either."

"Yeah," Harou agreed. He inclined his head and left. Coushander invited Dalzen inside and Dalzen took that invitation to get out of the muggy air and Coushander gave a wry smile.

"Well, aren't you going to give her a bath?" Dalzen asked.

"Of course," Kano nodded. "What? Did you want to watch?"

"Sure," Dalzen shrugged.

"I'm tired," Taylor suddenly said.

"Why are you tired?" Coushander asked gently.

"Grandpa was fighting bad guys," Taylor yawned. "Entire night...I was on his back 'cause I couldn't go home alone. I can't sleep when he moves."

"Where was your father?" Kano asked.

"Dunno," Taylor looked down, clutching Coushander's kimono tiredly.

"Can you stay awake long enough to have a bath?" Kano asked.

Taylor nodded and they took her into the bathroom for a warm bath. Coushander held Taylor while Kano started the bath.

"Coushander, take off her clothes," Kano ordered.

"Uhm, what about her ankle?" Dalzen asked.

"Yeah," Coushander agreed.

"Oh yeah," Kano turned and held her hands over Taylor's ankle. Taylor looked as a green chakra surrounded Kano's hands and Taylor looked surprised.

"Green chakra?" she asked.

Kano smiled and nodded, "Yep. I'm a medical ninja. You know what a medical ninja is?"

Taylor nodded, "Uh-huh. It's like healing people with chakra, right?"

Kano nodded as she withdrew her hands, "Yes. See? Your ankle should feel better now!"

Taylor moved her ankle. No pain, must be good! Coushander set her on the edge of the bathtub and he and Kano undressed Taylor, with Dalzen watching. Dalzen gave a soft chuckle as Taylor tried to protest by squirming.

"You sure you don't want another one?" Kano asked Coushander.

"Well, not really," Coushander responded. "Sakumo was enough. You saw how well I took care of him..."

Kano shrugged, "Suit yourself."

"Eh, we don't need another Coushander running around anyways," Dalzen agreed.

"I don't know, I wouldn't mind having a kid," Kano smiled. "Maybe they won't turn out like you, Coushander. Perhaps they'll be a sweetheart like Taylor!"

"Hm..." Coushander tossed the dirty clothes aside and he set her in the water. "Alright, child, let's get you clean for your grandpa and dad."

Taylor giggled and started splashing the water.

"Yay! Water!" she giggled. " _Chibi Nami no Jutsu_!"

"TAYLOR NO—"

All three adults were splashed by her tiny wave technique, and now they were soaked. Coushander and Kano both gave a heavy sigh and Dalzen shook his head slowly.

"I was not expecting that one..." Coushander sighed.

"Well, now we know not to give her a bath," Kano said.

"Yep, she's related to Sakumo," Dalzen muttered.

Taylor looked at them, realizing they were upset that she just splashed them all and her eyes filled with tears, "I sorry!"

"N-No! Don't cry," Coushander gasped.

Dalzen shook his head, "We're not mad."

"We're not," Kano agreed. "Here, Taylor," she reached for some soap and tried to wet Taylor's hair. "C'mon, put this in your hair for me so we can get it cleaned. Cup your hands for me."

"O-Okay," Taylor did what she was told and cupped her hands. Kano poured the soap into her hands and watched as Taylor brought the soap up and pour it over her head. Coushander and Dalzen watched her. She was the same person but not the Taylor they knew, obviously, because she was a little kid. Strangely enough, she looked as if she was a shinobi already. She had a little bit of tone to her arms. How strong was she? Didn't her older self say that she was a shinobi at 6?

"Taylor, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Dalzen asked, curious about her answer.

Taylor looked up, "I wanna be a big and strong shinobi like my daddy and grandpa. I'm already close! I just graduated three months ago. I'm a genin!"

"What's your grandfather and your father?" Kano asked.

"Jounin!" Taylor grinned. "Daddy is a jounin like Grandpa. I wanna be one too!"

Kano reached over and tried to help Taylor massage the soap in.

"Geez, has your father taught you how to wash your hair?" she shook her head.

"No, usually he does it for me," Taylor said. "He stands outside the shower and he rubs the soap in and helps me wash it out."

Kakashi and Sakumo rarely gave her baths since she liked to splash, as Kano, Coushander, and Dalzen got a taste of. As soon as she could stand, they switched her to showers so she couldn't splash them as bad. To help clean herself, Kakashi takes his shirt off and he reaches in the shower to help. He doesn't go in, but he doesn't want to get wet.

"Oh...I see..." Kano nodded. "Alright, let's wash this out then."

Taylor nodded and they washed the soap out of her hair. When they'd finished, Taylor had suddenly turned to the side and that's when Dalzen caught sight of something on her back. He crouched down beside Coushander and he put his hand on Taylor's back to look. Coushander and Kano looked also.

"Dalzen?"

He picked up Taylor's shirt and looked at the back. He was confused as he looked back at Taylor's back.

"Coushander, these are fresh cuts," he pointed at her back. "But...there aren't any cuts on her shirt. All there is on her shirt is blood. I mean, it's a black shirt but the blood isn't hard to see."

All three adults looked at Taylor expectantly but even she didn't know about the cuts. She reached behind to touch them but Dalzen swatted her hand away.

"Don't touch them, kid!" he warned. "We don't know anything about them."

Taylor withdrew her hand quietly and Kano took a look at the cuts.

"Let me heal them then," Kano suggested.

"After it's washed out," Coushander said. "If there's any poison or something, I'd want it washed out."

"Well...washing it won't get rid of it, but I suppose just in case germs got into the cuts," Kano sighed, handing him a cloth and the other soap. He dampened the cloth and poured the soap on it and then washed Taylor's back. Taylor gasped in pain and then whimpered, trying to remind herself not to let it bother her. Dalzen gave an exasperated sigh and he rolled up the sleeve of his shirt and he took Taylor by her hand.

"It's okay, Taylor," he assured gently. "Just hold my hand if it makes you forget you're hurting."

She clutched his hand, "But it still hurts..."

"You want to be a great shinobi like your dad, right?" Dalzen asked. "You have to learn how to grin and bear it, kid..."

"Grin...and bear it?" Taylor asked.

"In other words, ignore the pain," Dalzen said. "Your idiot great-grandfather over here seems to be a master at it."

Coushander glared, "Shut the hell up, Dalzen."

"Language," Dalzen winked.

"You should be talking," Coushander grumbled, focusing back on washing her back.

Taylor smiled at them, "My daddy and grandpa curse a lot. I don't mind."

Dalzen sighed, "Go figure."

Coushander washed the soap off the cuts and he looked again.

"Those cuts are really freaky," he said. "I wonder what kind of person they were fighting..."

"I know, that's what I was thinking," Dalzen agreed.

"Me too..." Kano nodded.

"I don't know, but as long as there's no poison I think she'll be okay," Coushander looked at Kano.

"If there is, it's an easy fix," Kano assured.

"Can you heal the cuts now?" Coushander asked.

"Yeah, I could've done it from the beginning," Kano muttered. "There was no real need to wash out her wounds..."

"Well, you never know," Coushander shrugged.

Kano put her hands over Taylor's back and began healing. Slowly, the cuts disappeared and once they were gone, Coushander allowed Taylor to finish cleaning herself and once done, Dalzen grabbed a nearby towel and gave it to Coushander. Taylor stood up and Coushander took her out using the towel while Kano gathered Taylor's old clothes.

"Blood is soaked into her shirt, I don't think I'd be able to get it out," Kano sighed. "Looks like this shirt is completely ruined."

"Not like Sakumo would care," Coushander shrugged.

"No, but I think she would," Kano stood up. "I'm going to dispose of her old clothes. They're just...ew."

"Fine," Coushander shrugged.

Kano stood up and left to toss Taylor's clothing. Coushander roughly dried Taylor off and he spent a good five minutes just on her hair. Taylor shook her head when Coushander pulled the towel from her hair and began drying the rest of her body with as much strength as he could use on her.

"Kousa, will my grandpa and daddy come looking for me?" Taylor asked.

"Hm, well you did say your grandpa was passed out so I doubt he will be able to when he wakes up but I'm sure your father will," Coushander gave a wry smile. "Alright, Taylor, you've been cleaned and dried. Do you want to wrap up in the—" There was a knock at the door, "Well...never mind. Sounds like that's Harou."

They heard Kano open the door and heard Harou and Kano speaking. Dalzen looked up as Harou approached the bathroom. In his arms was a small stack of neatly folded clothes that were too small for Dura, but just the right size for Taylor. He had a light blue, short-sleeved turtleneck and a pair of tan pants. Harou blushed.

"Well, I hope these will suffice," he hoped, offering the clothes to Taylor.

Taylor took the shirt from the top and put her arms into the sleeves and pulling it over her head. Then, she looked at the stack again, then at the floor wondering if Kano kept her underwear. Coushander and Dalzen both looked at Harou.

"Did you get anything for underwear for her?" Dalzen asked. "I have a daughter and even I wouldn't let her go without underwear."

"Yeah really," Coushander agreed.

"W-Well...I-I don't even know what I'd look for!" Harou blushed heavily. "It's not going to hurt her. It's not like she's old enough to have...well...you know..."

"I suppose that's true," Dalzen sighed.

"I'll look for something in case her father and grandfather don't come within the next day or so," Kano said. "Not like I don't know what I'd be looking for."

"Well, you take her into the village then," Coushander suggested, nodding at Taylor. "Well...sorry, but you only have pants to wear."

"That's weird," Taylor commented as she took the pants.

"Sorry," Harou blushed.

She got into her 'new' pants and yawned, "It's okay."

Kano watched, "Oh my. I forgot that she hasn't slept. I'll just let her sleep then."

"Want me to come shopping with you, Kano?" Dalzen offered, being mostly sarcastic.

"Uhm, no," Kano shot him a glare.

"I was being sarcastic," Dalzen pointed out.

Kano crossed her arms, "I'd hope so, Dalzen. The last thing we all need is you to go clothes shopping for a girl."

"You say it like I can't do that," Dalzen pointed out.

"Well, you could but it'd be very awkward," Kano reminded.

"It would..." Dalzen agreed.

"Just, go on," Coushander took off his still-damp kimono and lifted Taylor up into his arms and stood. Taylor immediately rested her head on Coushander's chest and closed her eyes, but then she felt uncomfortable because she didn't have her plush bear with her. She opened her eyes and groaned.

"I don't have my bear..." she muttered. "I dropped him somewhere."

Kano smiled, "I can get you one if you want me to. I'm sure I can find him."

Taylor looked at her, "You'd find Kuma?"

Kano nodded, "What's the color of his fur?"

"White," Taylor answered. "Like my hair."

"Mmm your hair is silver, but I get it," Kano smiled. "White plush bear."

"Mhm," Taylor nodded. Her bear was nothing special, though the one she had was given to her by Sandaime, but other than that there was nothing special about how he looked. But it made her happy, so Kano wanted to bring it back to her.

"I'll escort you to where I found her so we can get that back to her," Harou offered.

"Yeah, that'd be great," Kano nodded. "Thank you, Harou."

"I'll...just sit on the couch with Taylor," Coushander said. "Maybe she'll still fall asleep."

"I'd expect so, she hasn't slept in over a day," Kano said. "She's got to be on the verge of passing out."

"I bet," Dalzen agreed.

"We'll be back within an hour, I hope," Harou hoped.

"Alright," Coushander and Dalzen nodded. Taylor waved quietly at Harou and Kano as she rested her head tiredly on Coushander's chest.

"So, what are you going to do...Dalzen?" Coushander asked.

"I dunno," Dalzen shrugged. "I don't have anything to do really."

"Why don't you go be with your family?" Coushander asked.

"They're at school and Hina's at work," Dalzen said. "It's a weekday, y'know."

"Oh...well, if you want to stay here that's fine by me," Coushander shrugged.

"I'll take you up on that offer," Dalzen grinned.

"I'm sure you would..." Coushander sighed and carried Taylor to the living room and then he sat down on the couch with her. She was staring out into space, tears streaming down her face. She was scared, but for some reason Coushander's warmth seemed to calm her a little. But nothing could keep her from feeling sad because she had no idea where Kakashi and Sakumo were. Was Grandpa okay? And Daddy? Was he okay? The young shinobi had no way of telling, and it made her want to cry. She watched as Dalzen sat down beside Coushander and he looked as if he were trying to think. About what? Who knew. No one could ever read a Morino, something everyone knew. And somehow even Taylor, a 6-year-old girl, knew that too.

When she closed her eyes, she drifted off into a light sleep while Coushander and Dalzen tried to talk amongst themselves about how to get Taylor back.

.

.


	2. Something Is Wrong

**Chapter Two**  
Something Is Wrong

.

.

The humid and muggy air seemed to drain the energy of both Kakashi and Sakumo. No matter how hard they tried, after the big battle last night plus the muggy air made both of them want to sit down and take a break. Unwillingly, they did. They sat on a downed tree with reluctance and buried their faces in their hands. Thankfully, Kakashi had gloves so he couldn't feel his sweaty face, but unfortunately the sweat and heat was beginning to almost become unbearable under his mask and he almost was tempted to take off his mask. Almost. Sakumo's sweaty palms practically stuck to his face as he refused to look up at his son.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry, Kakashi. This is all my fault," he apologized. "If I could've tried to stay awake...she wouldn't have run off looking for help by herself! Oh God, I will never be able to live with myself if some creep saw her and snatched her up because of how young and naïve she is."

Kakashi was just too devastated to care that his father was apologizing. She couldn't have run very far, but they searched a little over 5 miles but to no avail. Could she have lost her way because the fog was disorienting? That was the only possible reason Kakashi could conceive of that would account for Taylor not being found within five miles. She knew that Kakashi was in the village, so she would've tried to find him there, but she got lost somehow. Kakashi couldn't bear to think that some creep would've snatched Taylor from behind while she was heading to the village. The silver hair was so recognizable, no one would be stupid enough to take her, right?

He inhaled deeply—there just had to be someway they could find her. He couldn't panic or lose hope just yet. She had to be fine, just probably lost, scared, and confused.

"Hey, are you guys okay?" came a young woman's voice. Kakashi looked up and was shocked to see a young ANBU woman with purple hair standing there in front of him and his father. He knew that woman!

"Y-Yuugao!" he exclaimed.

"You guys look like you've been through hell and back," she commented. "Like, what's wrong, Kakashi-Senpai?"

Sakumo looked up at her, "I lost my granddaughter."

She looked at him, "Your granddaughter?"

"My daughter," Kakashi clarified. "She's only 6."

"How did you guys lose her?" Yuugao asked.

Sakumo explained how and after he finished, Yuugao nodded.

"I see...I don't think she could've gone that far myself, but as you said she's a shinobi now so maybe she could've done so easily and get lost," she agreed. "You guys need help? I can get an ANBU team ready and we can search the area."

"Th-That'd be great," Kakashi said.

"However, I wouldn't suggest Sakumo continue...or you, for that matter, Senpai," Yuugao pointed out. "Both of you look worse for wear. You both were fighting last night, huh?"

"I think almost all the Jounin were," Kakashi nodded in agreement. "Guy, Inoichi, Shikaku, Ibiki, I think I saw Anko fighting alongside Ibiki... God, everyone was out there."

Yuugao gave a kind smile, "Well, do you have a photo of her I can use to make sure I find her?"

"Y-Yeah, give me a moment," Kakashi reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, pulling out a photo of Taylor being held by him. It was a relatively new photo too, as it'd been taken on her 6th birthday just five months prior. He gave it to Yuugao. "I'd like this back but please find her."

"Of course, Kakashi," Yuugao nodded as she took the photo from him. She glanced over the photo and smiled, flipping it on to the back and saw their names written in Kakashi's handwriting in katakana. _カカシとテイラー_ • 01月31日. "Aw, she looks just like you! How cute...and wow, you look so happy in this photo. You never act that happy around anyone."

Kakashi blushed, "Well, she...uhm...makes me happier than anything, really. She's my entire world...believe it or not."

"Wow, that's really nice to know," Yuugao smiled. "You a single dad?"

"I am, unfortunately, with the passing of my fiancé after giving birth to my daughter," he said. "But by some strange miracle, my father was brought back from the dead before her birth and so he's been helping ever since."

Sakumo gave an awkward smile, "I have. Makes me happy to help raise my granddaughter, though."

"It must still be stressful being a single dad," Yuugao said.

"It can be, but I have my dad's help," Kakashi agreed. "And amazingly enough she's a very well-behaved child and she is already a shinobi. Well... _kunoichi._ She's amazing, I never thought children could be so...well I don't know, easy?"

"Maybe it's just her father," Yuugao winked. "It seems like if she's easy, it must be because you've raised her right and taught her well." She glanced up at the sky, "Well, I better go gather a team and get started. It might start raining again, not like the rain will stop us though. But, still. I'll get started right away before she becomes harder to find. You guys better get checked out at the hospital, though. You both look like you'll pass out, and I don't think Taylor would want you guys to over-exert yourselves."

"You're right...she wouldn't," Kakashi smiled. "Thanks, Yuugao."

"No problem," Yuugao bowed. "I'll update you with any information we've got."

Kakashi nodded and with that, Yuugao disappeared and both Kakashi and Sakumo forced themselves to their feet and clumsily made their way back into the village.

...

Harou and Kano trekked the woods again to find where they had found Taylor in order to find her bear to make her feel better and less lonely. They looked around until they finally found it after a good thirty minutes of trekking and saw it near a puddle on the ground. Harou raced over to it.

"Kano! I found it!"

Kano, a little ways away looking around, heard Harou but when she got over to where the bear was, he wasn't there.

"Harou?" she scanned the area. "Harou? Where are you?" She looked at the ground and found the bear and she scooped it up. She stared at it—looked just as Taylor had described but dirtier. She could probably wash it and have it dried before Taylor could get too terribly lonely. But where did Harou go? He was nowhere in sight! "Harou? Harou!"

The feeling she had standing there wasn't good. Something happened to Harou because he disappeared without a sound. Where could he have possibly gone? He wouldn't just up and leave her that fast. She sighed and decided to rush back to Coushander's and let him know what happened because something was off. She took off and rushed back to Coushander's house.

...

Harou had run through a time portal, little did he actually know. All he knew was that it just had gotten dark and freezing cold. For miles, snow covered the ground in a thick blanket and the trees were bare of leaves. Harou was confused. The bear was gone. He looked around: so was Kano. What in the hell just happened?

Before he could begin thinking, a cold gust of wind came his way and sent chills down his spine, making him shiver. _It's so cold...geez. Too bad I'm in my summer clothes..._ Harou rubbed his arms and sighed. He had to go back, it was simply just too cold. With hesitance, Harou began walking towards the village.

It was nerve-wracking. He had no clue where he was and definitely no clue if he would see Coushander, Dalzen, or even Kano. Would he? Harou didn't know, and it worried him. He sighed and closed his eyes; _Just breathe. Everything is fine, you're not going to be somewhere unfamiliar. You're just dreaming, Harou. Just dreaming..._

Suddenly, he heard voices. He opened his eyes and stopped dead in his tracks as he saw a group of shinobi walking his way. There was a girl and three men; the tallest having the most familiar face. Jet black, jaw-length hair, grey eyes, but surprisingly had a huge grin crossing his lips as he laughed at the young lady in the group. Harou looked again— the young lady looked oddly familiar too. He studied her: short, like Saru-Shin, and had hair styled like Coushander's. She wore a strange uniform underneath a dark purple trenchcoat— a bulky, olive-green vest with scroll pockets and a raised collar, an indigo turtleneck, and a pair of indigo pants. She crossed her arms behind her back as she gave a satisfied smirk at getting the tallest person in the group to laugh at her. Soon, she looked up at him as they walked and Harou quickly hide behind a tree to watch.

"Uncle Dalzen, so how about we celebrate this victory with sushi?" she asked, fatigue heavy in her voice.

"We always go for sushi. How about ramen? I haven't tried Ichiraku's ramen yet, I hear it's really good," Dalzen responded with a suggestion, surprisingly also with a fatigue-heavy voice. "Just something other than sushi for once."

 _Dalzen?_ Harou thought.

"Yeah," another man, about as tall as Dalzen wearing an indigo bandana-style hitai-ate, agreed. Harou realized they were all extremely tired, but the way they were talking they were also pretty hungry. "Gotta have Ichiraku's ramen, Grandpa."

Harou blinked in disbelief, realizing that there was no doubting that was Dalzen. _The_ Dalzen that he knew, but somehow he was different. He was smiling and looked slightly younger than he remembered, and Harou had just seen him thirty minutes ago. There was Dalzen, walking amongst strangers, or at least that's how Harou saw them. He didn't know what to do. They walked past where he was hiding and then they young lady stopped dead in her tracks about a foot away. The three men paused beside her.

"Sweetheart?" came the third man, a tall man himself but shorter than Dalzen with a mask covering his mouth and nose and his hitai-ate covering his left eye. He looked at the young girl.

"I sense someone else. I can smell 'em," the girl told him.

"I wouldn't know; my sinuses are shot," the third man told her.

"You need to get over your cold soon," the second man muttered.

"Sorry, I can't help it..." the third muttered hotly.

The young lady reached down into her shuriken holster and pulled out a shuriken. Harou's heart raced. _Oh no, is she going to throw that in my direction?_ He got his answer when she did indeed toss it at the tree and it embedded itself into the bark right next to his face. Harou jumped.

"I know you're there," the girl said. "No point in hiding: come out before the next one is embedded in your skull."

Nervously, Harou stepped out into view with his hands in the air beside his face.

"Please don't hurt me," he pleaded.

The girl and Dalzen were both horrified to see him.

"Harou?" Dalzen asked.

"Harou..." the girl muttered.

Harou flinched at the girl saying his name, "And who might you be?"

"You don't remember?" the girl asked.

"Yeah really," Dalzen put his hands on his waist. "You know Taylor! You found her when she was six."

"I-I did?" Harou blinked. Just half an hour ago he had watched Coushander carrying her into the living room of his house. Now, there she was standing right in front of him probably as an actual adult with Dalzen. "Wait...Taylor?"

"Uh...yeah," Taylor nodded.

Harou was confused, "And Dalzen...what are you doing here...?" Why the hell are you wearing a trenchcoat?"

"Uhm...because I'm not dead?" Dalzen stared at him. "Wait...Harou! Don't tell me you were thrown into a time jutsu!"

"Another time incident?" Taylor looked at Dalzen.

"I bet it is," Dalzen nodded.

"Time incident?" Harou asked.

"Means you're a victim of the time jutsu," the third man, presumably her father to Harou, of course the one and only Kakashi Hatake, explained in simple terms. However, the time jutsu was anything but simple. "Dalzen and Taylor have been victims of it in the past."

"Have been? You mean he's not here from the past like I am?" Harou asked, confused.

"It's...hard to explain," Dalzen told him. "How about we get to the ramen shop before we explain it?"

"Okay...?" Harou sighed.

"It's too cold to be standing outside," Taylor said.

"It is," agreed the man wearing the bandana hitai-ate. "It's what, 18 degrees out here?"

"14 with a windchill, Ibiki," Taylor told him.

"Like you said, it's too cold out here," Ibiki nodded at her.

Harou sighed and Taylor took him by his hand, smiling.

"Let's go, Harou-San!"

"Yeah...I suppose," Harou agreed with reluctance.

As they continued towards the village, Harou looked around in curiosity. Was he really in the future? And what the hell was Dalzen doing there in a trenchcoat returning from a mission with Taylor, her father, and a man who looked kinda like Dalzen himself?

...

Coushander was partially lying on the couch with the younger Taylor in his arms. She was six, but Coushander was holding her like she was four. Dalzen watched quietly, smiling at how she was laying her head on his chest tiredly. She was on her side and it almost looked like she actually fell asleep. Almost. She started shivering a bit and opened her eyes. Coushander looked, "Oh...did you want a blanket?"

She nodded, "Yes please."

"Dalzen, could you—"

"Yeah, I've got you," Dalzen reached behind his head and grabbed the blanket. He looked over at Coushander and he draped the blanket over Taylor. "There, little shit."

"Why's she a little shit?" Coushander asked, sitting up some.

"Because, she's your great-granddaughter," Dalzen winked. "That's why. If she's not careful, she'll grow up to be just like you!"

"What's _that_ supposed to mean, Dalzen?" Coushander asked as Taylor switched sides.

"You know _exactly_ what I mean," Dalzen responded seriocomically, then cracked an amused smile. "Don't play stupid with me, Coushander. You know what I meant."

"Asshole," he grumbled.

"Language!" Dalzen exclaimed.

"Oh shut up, Dalzen!" Coushander rolled his eyes.

Taylor groaned quietly, "Can you guys be quiet? I'm trying to sleep."

"Sorry," both men apologized, then fell silent for a few minutes until Dalzen continued it again.

"But it's true," Dalzen continued.

"You're an asshole," Coushander muttered.

"You say that because you hate practically everyone," Dalzen responded.

"Says the man who distrusted and hated everyone even as a kid," Coushander pointed out.

"Dumbass."

"Jackass."

As they threw insults at each other, Kano came in through the front door and when she heard them insulting each other, she growled.

"Hey! Both of you knuckleheads better stop your childish bickering!"

They stopped.

"Sorry..." they apologized.

Kano dusted off the bear to make sure she got enough of the dirt off.

"He started it," Coushander muttered.

"What? No, you did, you idiot!" Dalzen defended himself.

"If neither of you stop your bickering, I will kick your asses to Country 14!"

They immediately stopped. Dalzen lived there for a small portion of his life; it was not a pleasant place and would bring back too many awful memories. Coushander only knew of Dalzen's recollections and even he wasn't brave enough to go there. Satisfied, Kano gave Taylor her bear with a gentle smile, allowing her to take him.

"Don't mind your great-grandpa and Dalzen, they're both idiots," she assured. "You'll learn that about men rather quickly as you grow older."

"We're not idiots," Coushander and Dalzen protested.

"Shut up...both of you," Kano glared, standing straight and putting her hands on her waist. "Now, you two...have either of you seen Harou?"

"No, why?" Coushander asked.

"I thought he was with you," Dalzen pointed out.

"He disappeared, strangely enough," Kano responded.

"Disappeared? How?" Dalzen wondered.

"I don't know," she sighed.

"Want me to gather a team and start a search for him?" Dalzen offered.

"Yeah," Kano nodded. "I've gotta get the young'n some underwear so she's not uncomfortable."

"Uh yeah, of course," Dalzen nodded.

The Morino rose to his feet slowly and he glanced at Kano.

"So uhm...where did you lose him?"

"In that area you had found Taylor," Kano told him. "You need to search for Harou—I'm really worried because he would never run off without saying a word like that."

"I know," Dalzen nodded. "I can hardly believe it myself. I'll find him, Kano." He glanced at Taylor and she was still curled up against Coushander, blanket over her shoulders, and her bear in her arms. "Aw, she's adorable Coushander. And if you closed your eyes and went to sleep, you would be too. Just a suggestion."

"Dalzen! Be nice!" Kano scolded.

"I am being nice," Dalzen pointed out. "You know that this is about as nice as I can get."

Kano rolled her eyes at Dalzen, "Just please go find Harou."

"I will," Dalzen bowed and quickly left.

Kano put her hands on her hips, "I dunno, should we take her to the store or let her sleep? I just feel like she should be there in case there's something she doesn't particularly like."

"It probably is a lot easier to take her and go to the store," Coushander shrugged.

"I wanna sleep," Taylor groaned.

Coushander sat up, "How about you ride on my shoulders? You can sleep then...sorta..."

"Is that really a good idea, Coushander? I don't want Sakumo to get jealous and I don't want you straining yourself," Kano pointed out.

"Sakumotsu won't get jealous, Kano," Coushander pointed out. "I think he's past caring at this point."

"How about you just carry her on your back, then?" Kano sighed heavily. "She's really tall for her age, Coushander. I just worry you'll hurt yourself carrying her on your shoulders."

"Fine...I suppose," Coushander sighed and stood up and allowed Taylor to climb on his back, and she took the invitation because she really was too tired to walk. Kano shook her head slowly and sighed.

"You treat Taylor so much better than you treated Sakumo," Kano told him. "You're so much nicer to her. I wish you were as nice to Sakumo as you are with Taylor. I mean, Taylor is a sweet little girl but Sakumo's your own son. What would Matty have to say about this?"

"You wouldn't understand," Coushander stood up with Taylor on his back. "If you were with her the entire time last time, you'd understand why I'm so nice to her. Hey, even Dalzen lightened up a little bit."

Kano glared at her husband, thought for a moment, and then she shook her head as she chose to not slap him and fume silently. She _so_ wanted to slap the hell out of Coushander, but she couldn't bring herself to do it right in front of Taylor.

"We are not finished with this conversation!" she whispered in a low and harsh voice.

"What did I say?" Coushander asked, watching Kano turn around to leave.

"Just...let's go, jerk," she grumbled, stalking out of the house in irritation. Taylor looked at Coushander.

"Why is she mad?" she whispered.

Coushander shrugged, "Dunno." However, the elder Hatake did know why, and he wasn't going to tell the younger Hatake simply because she wouldn't understand. Or in case she repeated his words to the older Sakumo when she was returned. Kids had a knack to repeat the things their parents say, whether the parents want them to or not.

Taylor shrugged, "Oh."

Coushander sighed softly and he walked out of his house with his great-granddaughter resting her head on his shoulder tiredly and he followed Kano.

...

Taylor, Dalzen, Ibiki, Kakashi, and Harou were all at Ichiraku's for ramen. It was pleasantly warm in the shop, even without doors. What really helped in warming them up was the soup. Harou hadn't realized how hungry he was until his bowl was placed in front of him. He looked at the chef and offered a thankful nod. After everyone said "itadakimasu", they began eating. It was quiet for a few minutes until Harou spoke up, looking at Dalzen.

"So Dalzen...what are you doing here?" he asked.

Dalzen looked at Harou, "Well...uhm..."

"Well, you see what happened was," Taylor started with a yawn. "I apparently had this necromancer-type kekkei genkai and my supposed mother's biological parents suggested I try it out...I can see ghosts, and I could see Dalzen and Coushander and Saru, but Dalzen was the only one who could actually volunteer so uhm...that happened."

"Why would you volunteer? You of all people?" Harou looked to Dalzen.

"Out of everyone from the past she knew, I was the only person who would be able to survive in this time," Dalzen answered. "Coushander would've killed himself months ago and Saru wouldn't know what to do with himself because he'd been dead for so long. I was the best option."

"Coushander wouldn't have killed himself," Taylor pointed out.

"You're right, someone else would've killed him," Dalzen nodded. "He'd say something to the wrong person and they'd kill him."

"That's mean, Uncle Dalzen," Taylor pouted.

"Yeah, _Grandpa_ ," Ibiki emphasized 'grandpa' with a teasing grin.

Dalzen sighed, "Ibiki...what did I tell you about calling me 'grandpa'? I don't need to feel older than I already am."

"Well, Taylor can call you 'Uncle Dalzen'," Ibiki said.

"That's a different story," Dalzen grinned.

Taylor looked at Harou, "So uhm, Harou-San, you don't have anywhere to go, do you?"

Harou looked back and shook his head slowly, "Not really."

"Well then, why don't you come home with Dalzen and I?" Taylor smiled. "We've got enough room.

"You sure?" Harou asked.

"Mhm," Taylor nodded. "We allowed Dalzen to stay with us when he was here from the past, which is why he had experience of this time. It's just me, Grandpa, and Uncle Dalzen."

Harou looked at Kakashi, who was talking with Ibiki. Taylor knew what Harou was thinking and she quickly spoke up, making him look back at her.

"My dad moved out about a month after I brought back Dalzen so he could live with his fiancé, who's my mom now," Taylor explained. "We still hang out often and he comes over for food and for snuggles with me on occasion."

"Oh," Harou nodded.

Taylor sipped her soup while Harou thought.

"Well, I'll take you up on your kind offer, Saru-Shin—UH, I mean..." he covered his mouth. "T-Taylor."

"It's okay," Taylor assured. "Dalzen calls me 'Saru' all the time."

Harou scratched the back of his head in embarrassment but all Taylor did was smile at him.

After everyone had eaten, Taylor hugged Kakashi and he kissed her head, and they quickly parted to get Harou home. Harou kept to himself as they walked, meanwhile Taylor talked to Dalzen.

"Hey Uncle Dalzen, remember Hiiragi?" Taylor asked.

"Ibiki's son that he never knew about? How could I forget?" Dalzen wondered. "What about him?"

"I ran into him the other day and he told me that he would like to take me out to the bookstore and for coffee and hot cocoa."

Dalzen looked at her, "You know what that sounds like to me? A date. Taylor, he wants to take you out on a date."

"Wh-What?" Taylor asked, surprised. "N-No! That's absolutely the wrong idea, he just wants to interview me about _Taelzen's Excursion_."

Dalzen held his face in his hand and gave an exasperated sigh.

"You cannot be that clueless, Taylor," he gave a shake of his head as he chuckled wryly. "Taylor, have you not paid any attention to how he looks at you? He _likes_ you. God, you are worse than I am."

"S-Sorry," Taylor blushed.

"Well, hey at least you like someone else other than me," Dalzen smiled. "Makes things less awkward."

"But he's a Morino," Taylor pointed out.

"It's still less awkward than you liking me," Dalzen told her as they approached the house. "Alright, monkey-brain. Go get your grandpa."

"Alright..." Taylor dashed into the house and Harou looked at Dalzen.

"Hiiragi?" he asked, walking inside with Dalzen.

"My great-grandson, apparently," Dalzen said. "Just like Taylor is Coushander's great-granddaughter."

"You said that she liked you?" Harou asked.

"Unfortunately, she had a huge crush on me," Dalzen shook his head, blushing at he thought about the moments when it was obvious she liked him. The worst one of all being when he kissed her when he was delirious. She didn't like that he did that, but deep down she sorta did like it and he knew it. "Well, the crush has prolly subsided a little bit because now there's Hiiragi, who is her age, who loves her and obviously interested in her. There's another boy too that likes her, but Sakumo isn't so sure she likes him back."

"Wow," Harou said.

"Judging by what I've seen of Hiiragi, I think I'd trust him to take care of Taylor myself, speaking as a father," Dalzen told him.

"I'm guessing that's supposed to be a good thing?" Harou wondered. "What does her father think about it?"

"Oh I don't think he has any idea about it," Dalzen chuckled. "Poor Kakashi. Then again, if I was Taylor...telling Kakashi would be very hard to do because he's protective of her and doesn't want anyone to date her."

"I bet."

"I don't think Hoshi would've told me about a boyfriend until much later...if I'd lived that long," Dalzen sighed as they began hearing footsteps approaching from the hallway. The lights flicked on and then they saw Taylor walking with Sakumo into the living room. The eldest Hatake looked up and saw Harou.

"Ah! H-Harou-San!" he stammered. "Wow! It's been forever since uhm...oh."

"Don't tell him, Sakumo," Dalzen reminded.

"I won't tell him," Sakumo assured.

"What? Tell me what?" Harou asked in curiousity.

"Don't ask," Dalzen told him. "It's best if you didn't know."

"Oh? Alright..."

"So...what do we do?" Taylor asked Sakumo. "I don't have my hands on the jutsu anymore and I forgot how to do it."

"You okay sleeping on the couch?" Dalzen asked Harou.

"I think so," Harou nodded.

"Or do you want to lock yourself up in my room?" Dalzen teased.

"Uhm...I think I'm fine at the moment," Harou grumbled.

"I'll set up the couch, then," Sakumo walked towards the couch and began setting it up for Harou to sleep on.

Taylor stifled a yawn and walked over to Sakumo and hugged him.

"I'm going to bed, Grandpa," she told him.

Sakumo glanced at her, "You okay?"

"Mhm. Just super tired," Taylor answered.

Sakumo turned and returned her hug, looking at Dalzen.

"None of us slept during the mission," he answered. "Uhm...yeah...no one actually slept."

"We were all too scared to sleep," Taylor added.

"Even Kakashi?" Sakumo asked.

"Uhm yeah, we weren't even 100 miles from an active volcano," Dalzen verified. "We had no clue when it'd blow up. It did after we left but we were already pretty far. Taylor experienced her first earthquake, though."

"It was absolutely terrifying," Taylor mumbled.

"We took horses so we could get out faster and we took 'em to another village and continued by foot from there," Dalzen finished.

"Oh shit," Sakumo muttered.

"Yeah, I think Daddy's gonna pass out on Mommy tonight," Taylor grinned. "Five days and no sleep."

"I'm waiting for you to pass out," Dalzen told her. "You should pass out right there in Sakumo's arms."

"Please don't and go to bed, Taylor," Sakumo muttered as he rubbed her back. He kissed her on her head, "Alright. Love you, sweetheart."

"Love you too, Grandpa!" Taylor giggled and headed to bed.

Sakumo sighed as he finished, "Well, Harou. Make yourself comfortable and uhm...I'm down the hall on the left if you need something."

"Thank you, Sakumo-kun—er, Sakumo-sama," Harou thanked.

Sakumo smiled, "I'm going to bed now. Goodnight, guys."

"Goodnight," both Dalzen and Harou nodded at Sakumo as he bowed and left. Harou looked at Dalzen.

"So...what's it like?"

"What's what like?" Dalzen asked.

"This time period," Harou clarified.

"Well, we have a female Hokage, that's something. A lot of technology...it's crazy," Dalzen yawned. "We can talk about it tomorrow if you'd like. I've got to go to sleep, I can't stay awake any longer. See ya tomorrow, Harou."

"Oh...okay..." Harou nodded. "See ya, Dalzen."

Dalzen nodded and left. Now that Harou thought about it, both Dalzen and Taylor were 'drunk'. Not drunk, but that's what sleep-deprivation was like. Though, Dalzen seemed worse off than Taylor. He watched as Dalzen stumbled down the hallway, flicking off the hallway lights.

Harou turned to the couch and sat down. It was day when he'd left: he wasn't at all tired. He stared up at the ceiling and remembered earlier when Coushander had asked who he had managed to piss off. Harou was beginning to wonder the same thing. Who did he manage to piss off without intent? Why was he there? What brought him there?

Then, he began wondering if Coushander was okay? And Kano? What about Dalzen? And poor little Taylor! Just like him, she had no clue what was actually going on.

Suddenly, when he looked up, he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye a figure standing outside in the yard through the window. When he blinked, the figure was gone. Great, another mystery. How lovely. Harou _absolutely_ loved mysteries. Suddenly, he heard footsteps and saw Taylor run past him to open the front door. After a few moments, she closed the door.

"Damn it!"

"Taylor-san?" Harou asked.

She closed the door and looked at him.

"Did you see him?" she asked.

"Whoever was just there?" Harou asked.

"Yeah," Taylor nodded.

"I saw him but I wasn't sure."

"I keep seeing him," Taylor said. "I dunno what he wants but he needs to say something before I come out there and scare him away."

Harou could only nod at her.

"Well, goodnight..." Taylor bowed and quickly left before she really did pass out on the floor.

"N-Night," Harou responded. Sighing, he laid down and stared at the ceiling until he felt tired enough to sleep.


	3. Cloak and Dagger

**Chapter Three**  
Cloak and Dagger

.

.

After picking out clothing, despite being tired, Taylor was excited when she saw a snow cone stand.

"Kousa, I can have ice cream please?" she asked Coushander.

"I don't know, you need to home home and sleep, sweetheart," Coushander responded.

Kano gave Taylor some change and smiled, "Go get something small."

Coushander looked at Kano as Taylor took the change, said "thank you", and left to get a small snow cone. Kano looked back with a glare and slapped Coushander. He retaliated against the pain and rubbed his cheek.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" he wondered.

"That was from earlier," Kano hissed. "You need to start being nice to your own son like you are with Taylor!"

"I'm sorry, I can't help it," Coushander muttered.

"Yes you can, Coushander," Kano said. "Eventually you need to tell him about—"

"Absolutely not!" Coushander argued harshly. "Let Dalzen or Takato tell him, I'm not."

"Coushander! You need to, not everyone else," Kano hissed at him. "You better tell Sakumo, before you die...if I don't kill you first..."

Coushander quickly brought her in for a kiss, startling Kano out of her anger. She stared at him.

"Coushander," she muttered in between breaths. "Coushander, what are you—"

He stopped and looked to the side, "She's watching. I don't want her to get worried. Besides, what's the point in killing me?"

Kano groaned, "Alright, you win...for now."

"Good," Coushander felt Taylor tug on his arm. He let go and looked at her, "Alright, can we go home now so you can sleep? Otherwise, your grandpa would kill me."

"Uhuh," Taylor nodded.

"I thought you just said there was no point in killing you?" Kano pointed out.

"For you there isn't," Coushander lifted the 3'7" child up into his arms and Kano sighed. "Sakumo would have every reason to kill me since this is before she came here as a twelve year old."

"God, I wonder why he'd have every reason to kill you..." Kano muttered.

Quietly, Taylor ate her snow cone so she could cool off from the heat and Coushander looked up at the sky.

"Say...is it supposed to rain again?" he wondered as they began heading home.

"Yeah," Kano looked up. "What's with all this rain?"

"I don't know," Coushander admitted. "Let's go back before it rains again.

"I suppose we can do that," Kano sighed heavily.

When they got outside of the village, they saw Dalzen with a team of adult shinobi all searching for Harou. They watched as Dalzen rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and wipe sweat from his face.

"God, how do you lose Harou?" he wondered. "Geez..."

Coushander watched as Dalzen turned around and looked at them.

"Kano, Coushander, Taylor," he greeted.

"Any luck?" Cou asked.

"No," Dalzen frowned. "He's nowhere to be found, but it's possible that he stumbled upon a time jutsu like Taylor did. I can't risk anyone else, so I think we need to talk to the Hokage to warn people to be careful until we figure this out."

"Yeah," Kano nodded.

Dalzen sighed, "Man, I hope he's okay."

"I hope so too," Coushander agreed.

"Yeah," Kano shook her head. "Sorry to waste your time."

"Don't worry, it wasn't a waste of time to look for a friend," Dalzen reassured.

"I sure hope so," Kano sighed.

...

When Harou woke up, it was to Taylor already leaving the house with a copy of her book in her arms, wearing a trench coat over a vest which looked similar to what Saru once wore. She had just fixed her jacket when Harou sat up and looked at the wall clock. It was ten thirty in the morning? He rubbed the sleep from his eyes. It must be night or something back in his time.

"Taylor-san?" he whispered.

Taylor looked, "Harou...did I wake you?"

"N-No..." Harou reassured. "Just...where're you going?"

"I'm meeting a reviewer of my books so he can interview me," she told him.

"Would you like me to come?" Harou offered.

"You don't have to," Taylor answered.

"Oh...okay," Harou nodded.

"Don't worry, Dalzen might take you out of the village later, maybe get you some clean clothes," Taylor smiled.

Harou could only nod as Taylor bowed and left the house. When she was outside, she began walking to the village and she hummed quietly to herself. Suddenly, she sensed another presence and she looked around. Soon, she found a man leaning against a tree with his head down and his hands in his trench coat pockets. She walked past him, eyeing him dubiously. She looked away and he disappeared.

"Weirdo..." she muttered.

Quietly, she continued into the village.

...

The older man reappeared years before a war that wiped out the entire planet claimed his family. He watched from afar and sighed sighed sadly. It was a warm evening and despite this, he kept his coat on. He watched as his younger self and his wife walked with their kids through the field of wheat. The younger twin, a girl, held his wife's hand and looked up at her mother, who was wearing a fancy indigo robe with golden lining on the bottom of the robe. Even being in her late 40s, she looked just as young as she did at 19. Even her voice remained gentle and lovely as ever.

"Mommy," came the girl. "Would you sing 'The Minstrel Boy' again?" she asked.

"Yeah," the wife smiled gently, then began singing. The younger version of the man smiled as well and the wife picked up the children, smiling as she sang. "... _'Land of song!' said the warrior bard; "Tho' all the world betrays thee; one sword, at least, thy rights shall guard; one faithful harp shall praise thee!_ "

The older man gave a sad sigh as he fought tears.

"Goddess, I miss her so much," he whispered with a cracked voice. "I miss our children...Goddess..." he sobbed quietly. "I have to tell her soon. We have to fix this...I can't deal with this anymore."

He fell to his knees and tried to pull himself together. Then, he went back into his time to continue research.

...

Taylor eyed the books at the bookstore with curiosity. She reached up to grab a book but couldn't reach it. She frowned.

"Why must I be so damn short?" she wondered.

Suddenly, she saw a hard from behind her grab the book and hand it to her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Hiiragi grinning at her.

"You were reaching for this book?" he asked.

"J-Just to look at," Taylor took it gently and quickly reach the summary. She gave it back to Hiiragi so he could put it back. She turned to look at him as he placed his hand on her back.

"Why don't we go to the café and get drinks and food?" he gestured at the café inside the bookstore.

"Uhhh sure," Taylor smiled.

Quietly, he led her to the café and bought her a hot cocoa and a large plate of sushi. Then, they sat down together by the window and began discussion.

"So, what's this for?" Taylor asked.

"Well, for a magazine about books and shinobi authors," Hiiragi answered. "Ever heard of the _Novel Shinobi_?"

"I don't read magazines but I've heard about the _Novel Shinobi_ ," Taylor nodded. "My Uncle Jiraiya's been in them every so often. My grandpa usually picks up those issues because well, Jiraiya is his brother. Uhm...do you work for them?"

"Absolutely," Hiiragi smiled. "Well, let's get down to business." He opened up a notebook and took out a pen. "What inspired you to write your first book, _Inarora's Excursion_?"

"My own excursion into the past," Taylor answered. "I went through something similar but unlike Inarora I didn't have friends like Priwen or Aethon. I was really alone in the incident." She looked down, "I don't have friends. Well, I sorta do but none of them are near my age."

"Really?" Hiiragi asked.

Taylor nodded, "I mean I have my team but I'm not close enough with any of them to consider them my friend. They're really acquaintances."

"I-I'm sorry," Hiiragi apologized, gazing into her mist-blue eyes. "How about I be your friend? A really nice girl like you needs a good friend close to her age." He smiled gently at her.

Taylor looked at him, "You'd be my friend?"

"Mhm," Hiiragi smiled. "If we weren't already friends, we should be now."

Taylor smiled softly, "Fantastic."

As the interview continued, Hiiragi felt a bond forming between him and Taylor. If he already didn't love her, he was even more in love. Taylor felt something too but she was too oblivious to the feeling, unlike Hiiragi who reached across the table to touch her hand. She didn't really notice it.

"When did you realize you wanted to write books on the side?" he asked in curiousity.

"I was...eleven, but I didn't have a good story until I was 13, after my excursion into the past," Taylor responded.

"Wow, that's cool," Hiiragi smiled. "What kinds of books did you like to read?"

"Fantasy," Taylor smiled back. "I still do."

"You read any other genres?" Hiiragi asked.

"Mystery and sci-fi," Taylor answered.

"Oh you like mystery?" Hiiragi asked, then realized. "Oh! Duh, of course you do!"

Taylor giggled at him, "Yeah, you're forgetting the mystery novels I've also written."

"Yeah, I had enough sleep last night," Hiiragi grinned.

Taylor paused in surprise. He smiled just like his great-grandpa. She blushed and scratched the back of her head. Hiiragi looked at her questioningly.

"You okay?" he wondered. "You look embarrassed."

"N-No reason," Taylor smiled sheepishly. "Let's continue."

As they continued, Haruki walked past the bookstore and past the window. Out of the corner or his eye, he noticed Taylor sitting with Hiiragi, who was still holding his hand on her hand, gazing at her with intrigue as she spoke. Haruki gasped as jealously pulsed through his veins. Taylor smiled and Hiiragi stood up with her. They looked happy. As they turned to leave, Hiiragi put his arms over Taylor's shoulder and she didn't swat at him. She let him lead her out.

He stood, heart broken. He thought Taylor looked him, but now she has a friend who looks like a Morino who is her own age. Haruki looked up when Taylor and Hiiragi exited the store, Taylor giggling again.

"That's gross! Why would you tell me that?" she giggled.

"Well, that's how I killed him," Hiiragi gave a wry chuckle. "It's gross because I had blood all over myself but the way I killed him was funny as hell and you know it."

"It was," Taylor agreed, looking up suddenly and seeing Haruki. "Ah, Haruki-Kun...i-it's so nice to see you."

Haruki looked up at her: now anger was pulsing through him and out of nowhere, he slapped her across her face. Taylor retaliated against the pain and rubbed her cheek. Hiiragi gasped.

"Taylor!" he exclaimed.

"Ow..." she glared up at Haruki. "What the hell, Haruki! What was that for?"

Just a few feet away, Dalzen was walking with Harou and a little farther away was Kakashi walking with Sakumo. All four men looked up because Taylor's irritation could easily be heard.

"Are you going out with him?" Haruki asked.

"What do you mean?" Taylor asked, obviously pissed. "No, I'm not going out with him. He's a friend."

"Then why does he have his arm around you?" Haruki asked, looking ready to attack her.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Hiiragi stepped in front of Taylor. "Don't you dare hurt her."

"Who are you?" Haruki asked. "Other than her 'friend'."

"Morino Hiiragi," Hiiragi answered. "And you?"

"I'm her friend," Haruki said. "Future love—"

"Friend?" Hiiragi scoffed. "You claim that you're her friend, but what kind of friend slaps his friend? You think you love her, don't you? I know she doesn't want a guy who doesn't respect her or other women."

"Hiiragi..." Taylor murmured.

"What's going on?" Harou wondered. "Who's the guy defending Taylor and who's the one that just hit her?"

"Uhh I dunno," Dalzen answered. "The one defending her is my great-grandson and the other who hit her...I think he has a crush on her but she doesn't like him."

"Why would he hit Taylor?" Sakumo looked at Kakashi.

"I don't know, but the next time he hits her I'm gonna hit him a lot harder," Kakashi growled.

They saw Taylor grab Hiiragi by his coat and Harou could see her worried expression.

"Hiiragi, don't—"

"You imbecile!" Hiiragi exclaimed. "How dare you insult Taylor like that!"

"Hiiragi," Taylor tugged on his coat. "Stop, I really don't want anyone to fight—"

Suddenly, she felt something hit her right in the stomach and she fell backwards. When she looked, it was Haruki using some earth jutsu on her.

"Haruki...you're awful!" Taylor muttered. "I thought you were nice but damn was I wrong. This is why I hate people..."

Hiiragi clutched his hands in anger and growled at Haruki.

"So you think hitting women and controlling them is cool?" Hiiragi asked Haruki. "You know my thoughts on that? This!" Hiiragi did a few handsigns and Taylor stood up quickly.

"Hiiragi!" she exclaimed. "Please don't fight him."

Hiiragi wasn't about to back down and Taylor realized that she had to stop him from fighting Haruki. Kakashi watched as her expression turned serious.

"What is she going to do?" he wondered.

"Dalzen, what is she going to do?" Harou asked.

Dalzen was shocked: he didn't know what she was about to do.

"I don't know, Harou," he admitted. "I can't tell."

Taylor clutched her hands into fists and stood up in between Hiiragi and Haruki. She pushed Hiiragi back, spun around and tackled Haruki to the ground, flipped him onto his stomach, pressed her knee into his back and grabbed his head by his hair.

"Don't you ever claim you love me when you sit there and hit me for hanging out with someone else," she growled. "Don't claim you love me when you insult me for hanging out with someone else. The next time you do, I will kick your ass and you won't be leaving with just a broken nose." She slammed his face into the ground and pulled his head back up. "Got it?"

"Taylor, I thought you were nice," Haruki asked.

"I thought you were too until you started stalking me and now you're hitting and insulting me," Taylor growled, releasing his hair and standing up. "Don't ever come back and apologize. I don't want to see you coming towards me ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

Haruki quickly got up and left. Meanwhile, Dalzen and Harou stared at Taylor in shock.

"Holy crap! She's kinda scary," Harou shuddered.

"Yeah, she's definitely...kinda like her father," Dalzen agreed.

"That's my girl!" they heard Kakashi exclaim with joy. Both men turned and watched as Kakashi ran up to Taylor and hug her tightly. Taylor returned the hug and buried her face in Kakashi's chest.

"Man, what a jerk..." she sighed as he started rubbing her back.

Hiiragi scratched the back of his head, "S-Sorry about trying to protect you...it just upset me that he was hurting you like that."

Kakashi hugged Taylor a little tighter and of course she returned the hug. She looked at Hiiragi and smiled a bit.

"Thank you," she thanked. "But, I've got it. I appreciate you defending me, though."

"Alright," Hiiragi looked down. "As you wish."

Kakashi rubbed her back and comforted her so she'd feel better. Harou looked down sadly. It was obvious that maybe he won't survive being in this time— everyone was so strong! How would he make it through this? He started backing up and Dalzen looked at Harou.

"Harou? Are you okay?" he asked.

"Uhm..." Harou spun around and dashed off.

"Wait! Harou!" Dalzen went to chase after him but quickly lost the elder Nekai. "Shit...where did he go? Ah shit."

Sakumo sighed as he caught up with his sensei, "I think he's just scared, Sensei."

"I can go find him," Taylor offered as she joined them with Hiiragi and Kakashi, who had his arm over her shoulders. "You want me to find him?"

"I'll come with you," Dalzen said. "I know him a bit better than you do."

"Okay," Taylor agreed.

"Yeah, it may not be a good idea to leave him alone," Kakashi nodded. "We don't need anything to happen, not with the recent murders."

"Recent murders?" Hiiragi repeated.

"You're right," Taylor agreed. "C'mon, Uncle Dalzen. We need to find Harou-San."

Dalzen nodded and Taylor turned to Kakashi to kiss him.

"Love you, Daddy," she told him.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he returned the kiss.

Taylor turned to Hiiragi and smiled.

"See ya later, Hiira-Kun," she told him.

"Uh..of course! S-See ya!" Hiiragi blushed.

...

Taylor was passed out on Coushander by the time they'd gotten home. Kano sighed heavily but couldn't help but smile as Coushander went to his room with Taylor to tuck her in, who was finally asleep. It was nearly 6 in the evening now and just five hours ago, Harou went missing and less than seven hours ago, the 6-year-old Taylor showed up covered in dirt and with a twisted ankle.

After this long day, even Kano was ready for bed but she had to cook supper for her and Coushander. Taylor couldn't afford to be woken up again, so Kano could only make food for Coushander and herself.

He didn't come out of his room for awhile, even though he said he was only going to tuck her in. Kano soon realized that he probably chose to lay down in bed with her; he looked exhausted himself. She sighed heavily as she turned off the stove.

"That idiot..." she muttered under her breath as she turned and left the kitchen to wake up Coushander. When she approached his room, she found him lying on his side on his bed, hugging Taylor like she was some stuffed animal, but Taylor obviously was content as she hugged her bear. _And she doesn't mind that some strange man who looks like her grandpa is holding her like that?_

That was it though. Coushander _looked_ like Sakumo to her; she couldn't help but feel comfortable with him. Kano gave an exasperated sigh at her husband.

"Coushander!" she whispered harshly.

Coushander opened his eyes and looked at Kano. To avoid waking Taylor, she continued whispering.

"Supper," she whispered. "Don't wake Taylor, let her sleep."

"Fine..." Coushander reluctantly let go of Taylor and stood up. With a stifled yawn, Coushander followed Kano, who gave him an amused smile.

"I thought you were going to just tuck her in?" she asked.

"Uhhh I was really tired," Coushander admitted.

"Just tired, huh?" Kano shook her head.

"What? I really was tired," Coushander emphasized.

"Mhm...sure..." Kano shrugged.

...

When Taylor and Dalzen found Harou, he was sitting behind a tree and sulking. He wanted nothing to do with this timeline, yet here he was in this timeline, living with Sakumo and Taylor and Dalzen too. All he wanted to do was just hide.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder and when he glanced up, he saw Taylor standing beside him with Dalzen. She was smiling gently at him.

"Harou-San," she said. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I don't belong here," Harou muttered.

"We know that, Harou," Dalzen assured. "Doesn't mean that you shouldn't have a place to stay."

"I could get myself killed by being here!" Harou exclaimed. "I'm damned either which way—"

Taylor quickly silenced him with a hug, and then told him about when she was twelve and she went into the past.

"Hey, when I was 12 years old, I was sent through a time jutsu too," she told him. "Dalzen and Grandpa Coushander found me and Cou allowed me to stay with him. I was scared too, like you are, but I didn't get killed and I had some fun being there. Sorta. Not once did I get killed."

"During a mission, I also was sent through a time jutsu," Dalzen added. "I lived with Taylor, Kakashi, and Sakumo and I never actually got attacked. She kept me...sane...like her and like you are right now, I was scared too. Taylor and I went through the same thing you are. No one will kill you."

"And if they try, I will make sure it won't happen," Taylor grinned.

"She will," Dalzen nodded in agreement. "Don't worry so much, Harou. We've got your back."

Harou eyed Dalzen dubiously and Dalzen sighed.

"Harou, seriously we won't let anything happen," Dalzen reassured him. "Let's go home, now. It's freezing out here!"

Taylor nodded in agreement, "C'mon, harou! It's cold out here!"

"F-Fine, I suppose," Harou agreed.

"C'mon," Dalzen helped him to his feet.

Once they had Harou on his feet, they took him back to the village and tried to get him warmer clothes so he wouldn't freeze to death in his summer clothes.

...

A few days passed. Yuugao, Kakashi, and Sakumo were no closer to finding taylor than they were a few days ago. Nothing. There's nothing. No clues, no nothing.

Kakashi was miffed. How could Taylor disappear? Where could she have gone? How would Setsuna feel if he'd lost their daughter? Him and Sakumo both, nonetheless.

Taylor was just a little girl. If anything, she was alone and scared and Kakashi couldn't bear to imagine how scared she must be. She's a strong little shinobi, but she was scared easily.

As he walked back into the house from searching all night for his daughter, going three days without sleep, Kakashi's knees buckled and he collapsed to his knees. 48 hours' worth of sweat soaked his uniform and despite that, the only thing he could do was pass out right there on the floor.

When Sakumo finally arrived home from his search he found his son on the floor, passed out. He sighed heavily and, grabbing Kakashi by his shoulders, he dragged him onto the couch and laid him down. Then, he unzipped Kakashi's vest and carefully took it off with his mask. He toss the clothes on the floor and decided to cut Kakashi out of his shirt, it was just easier than trying to pull him out of the shirt and it was better than leaving him in the sweat-soaked shirt.

Once Kakashi was free of his shirt, Sakumo covered him with a blanket and allowed him to rest. Sakumo went to the kitchen to get glasses of water for both him and Kakashi. Once he had them filled, he stumbled back into the living room and set a glass down on the end table for Kakashi and then he left for his room so that he could change and also pass out.

...

The 10-year-old Kakashi Hatake found himself running through the woods, trying to get back to his team captain. He'd found something that needed to be seen by Minato, but he couldn't bring it back because he couldn't get it. Something was different about the air, however, and that bothered him very much. What was wrong? What was this bad feeling he had?

When he got back to his camp, that's when he realized something was very wrong. He blinked in disbelief as he studied the area. No one was there and nothing was there other than downed trees. Where could Minato-Sensei have gone? And why were there downed trees?

"Oh no, what happened?" he wondered. "Minato-Sensei?"

He looked around and quickly ran away so he could find Minato. What happened?

Eventually, he ran into someone who looked like Minato from behind, but he quickly realized it wasn't his sensei. He was a boy not much older than he was with yellow hair just like his sensei's hair, but shorter. He wore a mostly orange tracksuit with blue shoulders and a white collar and he had whiskers on either cheek.

Naruto looked at the boy and was shocked.

"AH! Kakashi-Sensei! You...wait!" Naruto blinked in disbelief. "No way! You're Kakashi-Sensei as a kid!"

"Who are you?!" Kakashi growled. "Where's Minato-Sensei?"

Naruto ignored his question, "Hey! Come here for a second."

Kakashi glared at Naruto but he walked up to him anyway. Suddenly, Naruto bonked Kakashi hard on the head and laughed.

"That's for being mean to me in the future!"

Kakashi covered his head, "You hit me, you idiot!"

"That's what you—"

Kakashi turned and ran away. Naruto ended up chasing after him.

"Waiiit! Kakashi-Sensei! I need your help."

"I don't want to help you! You big meanie!"

"Kakashi-Sensei!"

"Go away!"

And so, Naruto found himself chasing the younger Kakashi around. Little did they know, they were in a time not of their own. And they would find out soon enough.

...

Dalzen decided to check up in Coushander. Even though he was married, Kano didn't live with him and since Coushander had a little Taylor with him, he needed to be checked on occasionally.

When he got there, Taylor was running around the deck with Coushander stumbling behind her

"Geez, give me a break!" he groaned.

Taylor giggled as Dalzen hopped up and grabbed her.

"Hah! Nice try, you can't run past me!" he teased her. "You can escape Coushander, but you can't escape me."

Taylor looked at Dalzen and Coushander finally caught up.

"So, she's an energetic little shit, huh?" Dalzen teased.

"I can't keep up with her!" Coushander coughed. "How in the world does Sakumo keep up with such a little bundle of energy?"

Dalzen set Taylor back down and allowed her to walk back over to Coushander, "Well, it helps not to be sick..."

Coushander sighed as he put his hand on Taylor's head and held her close.

"It'd be a hell of a lot easier to just show her how to ride a horse, but Zosha's dead..." Coushander sighed. "He's been dead a few years now."

"I'm pretty sure there's a place with horses in the next village if you really want to give her something to do," Dalzen told him.

"I think it's up to her," Coushander looked down at Taylor. "You want to learn how to ride a horse?"

Taylor looked up at Coushander and smiled.

"Yeah! Sure!" she grinned.

"I guess that's been settled," Coushander looked to Dalzen and he nodded.

"I'll escort you," he said. "We don't know who sent her to this time."

"Of course..." Coushander agreed. "Alright...let's go, then."

"Okay," Taylor nodded.


	4. Hiiragi Morino

**Chapter Four**  
Hiiragi Morino

.

.

"I was 10 when I got to take my chuunin exam," Taylor told Hiiragi over lunch with Sakumo and Harou. Dalzen was at Intel, working on a case Taylor could not work on for personal reasons. Harou has stayed inside, trying to stay out of everyone's way.

Hiiragi gave a soft smile as Taylor showed him how she looked when she was 10.

"Wow," he remarked. "You're so adorable!"

"I'm wearing my dad's old shirt from when he was 13," she giggled. "Grandpa had taken it to be made into a smaller shirt for me since I wanted to wear it...not sure why Dad kept those shirts but I liked them so he gave the shirt to me."

"That's cute," Hiiragi smiled. "What was your chuunin exam like?"

"Funny, actually, in retrospect," Taylor smiled. "But I'll tell you another time."

"Aw, why not now?" Hiiragi asked, then remembered why. "Oh uhm...of course."

Harou stood up and put his bowl into the sink, silently wishing he was back home. Taylor looked at Harou.

"Harou-San..."

Harou bowed and quickly left to lock himself away in Dalzen's room. Taylor looked down and Sakumo put his hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry, Harou is just normally like that," he apologized.

"It's okay," Taylor sighed and continued talking with Hiiragi.

...

Later that evening, Taylor took a walk through the empty wheat fields and she brooded over the newest murder. The air was bitterly cold. Snow crunched under her feet and the ice-cold wind rushed past her, sending chills down her spine. She shuddered, but froze when she heard another set of footsteps in the snow. She didn't recognize the gait entirely and when she turned, she saw the mysterious man. He was Dalzen's height and had dark hair like him too but short-cut like Harou's. His trench coat's collar covered the bottom of his face and she couldn't make out his eye-color in this dark, but she could see the seriousness of the man's expression.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice strong and steady.

The man approached her but stopped a few feet from her. Her eyes flashed a glare.

"You're trespassing on private property," she warned.

His expression softened at her, "In the future...I wouldn't be."

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Taylor asked.

His eyes now showed sadness. She still couldn't tell his eye color, but the way his eyebrows curved upward gave him a melancholic expression.

"Taylor, you know who I am," he whispered to her. "But your feelings for me haven't developed quite yet..."

Taylor backed away but he took a step forward for each step she tried to take back.

"DAL—" the man quickly covered her mouth and now they were up close and personal with each other. She could see the green and grey eye, and could even see his scar. The familiar x-shaped scar scored across his right cheek. She blinked with disbelief, "Hiiragi?"

He smiled, "I'm not exactly the same Hiiragi you know now. I go through so much as I get older; I'm more melancholic as a 45-year-old man than I was then as a 21-year-old man."

Taylor gasped, "Time travel jutsu?"

He nodded, "Nidai couldn't get rid of all the scrolls for the jutsu, as you've recently found out."

"Why are you here?!" Taylor exclaimed in anger. "Do you not realize what you're doing?"

"I'm here to prevent a devastating event!" Hiiragi cried out. "I'm trying to prevent the destruction of Konoha and what would start the fifth shinobi war!" Tears streamed down his face. "The destruction of Konoha will come sooner than the events in my time, which would lead to a different fourth shinobi war. I'm preventing that."

"But you shouldn't try to change the fu—"

"If I don't, every man, woman and child on this planet will die in an inferno!" Hiiragi cried. He broke down in sobs, burying his face in his hands and collapsing to his knees as if he'd been holding in his emotions. Taylor was shocked, and as a sympathetic crier, she felt the tears coming.

"Wh-What do you mean?" she asked, trying to stop the tears. Hiiragi sobbed into his hands and it took Taylor crouching beside him and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder to quell his tears. He calmed down a little. "How about I invite you inside and make you some tea?"

Hiiragi trembled, but he nodded. Taylor helped him up and brought him into her home. Looked like Dalzen and Sakumo were already in bed, so Taylor just sat Hiiragi at the table and quickly went to work to make tea.

"What do you like? We have ginger, earl grey, green tea, lemon tea, oolong, and cinnamon apple," Taylor looked at the tea.

"Lemon," Hiiragi hiccuped.

She set it all up and turned with her hands on her waist. He was still trembling, fighting tears. She wondered what had happened, but she decided to watch the kettle and let him calm down. When the water was done, she poured it into the tea and brought over the cups of tea and sat them down. He looked up from his hands and his face was wet with tears and red from crying. Taylor sat down in front of him and offered a sympathetic look.

"Why are you here?" she asked gently.

He swallowed hard, "The people that destroyed Konoha and started the fifth and last shinobi war decided they should've gone back to this time to destroy Konoha and they are starting to show their presence. Those murders/arsons? It's them, and this is how it started in my time as well. It's about to escalate into a huge attack that'll lead to..." He laced his fingers and rested his forehead against his laced fingers, fighting more tears. "Lead to...to...you being killed. In my time, we have kids—you gave birth to them whether you wanted to or not, you were absolutely mortified when you found out. It was funny when you were trying to tell Kakashi about it— anyways..." His voice cracked, "They're dead as well...Everyone. Everyone is dead, Taylor. _Everyone_. And if the group isn't stopped now, we'll never have fallen in love and we'd all be dead."

Taylor swallowed hard. That was a lot to process. Hiiragi scratched behind his head and started drinking his tea. When he set the cup down, he wiped his mouth and closed his eyes, thinking hard about the past—his past in the future.

"I know, it's a lot to take in," he said gently. "But you've got to believe me. I wouldn't have come if I didn't have the information to give you to track these guys down." He trembled, "Please, I want to save the future...our future. I can't bear this agony any longer, Taylor. You don't know how hard it's been for me."

Taylor swallowed her tea, "Tell me more, then."

He handed her a list of names, "Here are names but it won't help find them in this time." He took her hand, "If you will it, we can go to the future to use the Intel Ward there."

"But you said the whole village had been destroyed," Taylor pointed out.

Hiiragi smiled, "Not everything...Intel survived, by a small margin. It's surrounded by shielding, you should know that."

"Uhm, okay well let me get a notebook a-and a pen and then we can go," Taylor sighed and got up.

"I already have some," he said. "C'mon, I want to get this done sooner rather than later. We need to go!"

"Okay okay!" Taylor put her trench coat back on.

Harou sat up tiredly on the couch as he woke up from hearing Hiiragi and Taylor's voices. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and turned around, "Taylor, can't you be quiet?"

Taylor looked at the couch, surprised to see Harou. Now, Harou was staring at Taylor and was startled by the tall man beside her. That wasn't Dalzen! Harou sprung to his feet and prepared an attack.

"Taylor! What are you doing with that stranger? Get away from him!" he pleaded.

"H-Harou! I-It's okay!" Taylor tried to reassure him.

Hiiragi took her hand and made her hug him so he could do the hand signs. A few moments before he had finished, Dalzen had walked into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Taylor, who are you talking to so late in the—"

Taylor looked up and saw Dalzen, who looked wide awake when he realized some stranger was taking her. Before she could explain, they'd appeared in a desolate future konoha: right in the middle of the village.

She looked around and gaped at the dystopian scene before her. Houses and buildings were charred cinder frames surrounded by ash and burnt rubble. They were in the year after the war. Bodies and bones littered the ground along with rusted kunai, shuriken, and even katanas littered the ground! There was hardly any vegetation— too much radiation killed whatever vegetation there was. The ground was mostly orange and rust-red and the sky was covered in scarlet red clouds. They were in the middle of a nuclear fallout in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, or what used to be the village.

When Taylor glanced up, she saw the Hokage monument, barely holding together. Up there, she hardly recognized Shodai, Nidai and Sandai. Yodai and Tsunade's faces were more recognizable but the face that stood out the most, unsurprisingly, was her father's face.

"Daddy?" she gave a choked whisper.

"No one made it out alive, except me," he choked out. "I wasn't here when it happened..." His voice cracked even more, "Kakashi had seen the house on fire and knowing I was on a mission, he came inside to rescue you three." Tears streamed down his face, "Kakashi died of smoke inhalation and severe burns, you and the kids were burnt beyond rescue. Kakashi was severely burnt from having to go into the fire twice. Once to save Ryouma-Kousa—who you had named after your uncle and great-grandfather— and Matsuko— who you named after your great-grandmother— and then he went back for you." He sobbed, "Ryouma-Kousa and Matty and you were my lives and I couldn't protect any of you..." He tried to get back on topic. "As I was saying...he went in to get Matty and Ryou-Kou—our nickname for him— and then went back for you."

Taylor wanted to cry too, but only because of Hiiragi's accounts and her father's love for her, which will never fade.

He wiped away a few tears, "I shouldn't even be telling you all of this."

"S-Sorry," Taylor stared at the ground. Two kids?! Ryouma-Kousa and Matsuko Hatake? She looked up at the eerie, dead, red sky. She chose those names and prolly chose to keep her last name. But what about Ibiki and Anko? "What about Ibiki-San and Anko-San? Did they have kids?"

"Two—a girl and a boy," Hiiragi started climbing down from the pile of rubble and dirt. He took Taylor's hand and helped her climb down. "Dad was about to become a grandfather again because Akane was pregnant...but then the Konoha fire happened and—"

"Lemme guess...they all died," Taylor looked at him.

"Sadly, yes," Hiiragi looked over his shoulder as he maneuvered backwards as he helped Taylor walk down. "Careful..."

Taylor looked around and shuddered.

"It's so cold..." Taylor shivered.

"Nuclear winter," Hiiragi told her, leading her towards Intel.

"Is it even safe to be out here?" Taylor asked.

"We're fine for now," he told her, leading her up to the only intact building for hundreds of miles...or perhaps the only intact building left on Earth: Konoha Intelligence Ward. The building was showing its age, however a force field seemed to be protecting the building. A dying force field, at that. "Computer: Morino Hiiragi and Hatake-Morino Teirā request to enter the building."

"Request granted," the female computer voice acknowledged, opening a door-like hole in the field. "Welcome back, Detectives. Today's date is—"

"We're fine without a date, Computer," Hiiragi muttered.

"Of course, Detective Morino," and just like that, the computer shut up.

"Wow, just like _Star Trek_ ," Taylor remarked. "Dalzen would have a hell of a time with this."

Hiiragi smiled, "Well, he'd find a way to kill it. It hasn't happened yet, but Grandpa Dalzen is a computer murderer. Technology and Dalzen do not mix well."

"Damn," Taylor muttered.

"This is a radiation-free zone, the only one on the planet as far as I know," Hiiragi said. "We're safe in here. I just wanted to show you the outside world..."

"I-It's scary," Taylor told him.

"It is, indeed," Hiiragi agreed.

They walked to the research center and Hiiragi typed the password on the holographic screen. Taylor watched quietly.

"Computer, pull up my research on Nikumu Moeteiru," Hiiragi ordered.

"Pulling up Morino Hiiragi's research on Nikumu Moeteiru," the computer told them.

"Nikumu Moeteiru?" Taylor repeated.

"Abhor Ablaze," he said. "They abhor Konoha and they set places ablaze, therefore that's what they named themselves." He snickered, "Or those were some of the first words that came up in the dictionary and they chose those two words." He pulled up the information, "Here you go. This gives a detailed explanation of them. They developed less than ten years ago, really only around for 6 years but their members have so much information such as arrest records, a few published hate-books on Konoha, etc."

Taylor took a look. She pretty much had a good idea about their cause— to annihilate Konoha. Everything else was news to her.

 _Motive : each member is a former shinobi of Konoha who had been wronged by Lord Kakashi (this current era) or Lady Tsunade (the previous era), had shinobi status revoked for what they feel were wrong reasons, or shinobi from other villages that hate Konoha._

 _Member Info_ _:_

 _ **Hanamura, Tsukiyoshi** : Male; leader. Shinobi status was revoked by Lord Kakashi at the start of Kakashi's era as Hokage. however he traveled to Suna and the Kazekage of the time gave it back to him and he gathered shinobi to get his revenge on the Hokage. Kakashi took his shinobi status due to misusing his status as shinobi by mistreating civilians and bullying them, forcing them to bow down to shinobi like they're kami._

 _ **Kujikawa, Hinoue** : Female; commander. From an enemy village: Village 12 in the new Country 14, who simply hates Konoha for it's past offenses in Country 14 more than 100 years prior. Thinks Konoha is too soft on shinobi and believes Konoha shinobi are too soft and lazy; especially despises Lord Kakashi's eldest child, Taylor Hatake, because she seemed, to her, to be the softest and least shinobi-like shinobi out there. She killed her mother thirty years prior, though it wasn't really her who killed her mother._

 _Best of friends with Hanamura, she was the one to suggest setting the village ablaze in a fire they would never be able to escape from and lead one of five teams to do the task. She also was the one to propose setting fire to random Konoha and Grass Village homes to send a message._

 _ **Aono Yosuke** : Male; lieutenant-commander. Lady Tsunade had promised him time and time again that he would be a jounin, however it had never happened because she didn't think he was ever ready. One day, she told him straight up he would be a terrible jounin and that she didn't trust him enough to be a jounin, which he thought was unfair because, like most people, he knew about Taylor Hatake and how she easily showed emotion and how scared she was of killing people. He wants to make this village suffer like he did. (Yes, he was melodramatic.)_

Taylor looked at Hiiragi after reading about the other members.

"My and Daddy's names are mentioned several times," she remarked.

"You're the Hokage's daughter, well you weren't before Kakashi became Hokage because he wasn't Hokage till after— er, I shouldn't tell you that," Hiiragi sighed. "Basically, a lot of people know who you are and because you're his daughter, they target you."

"That's stupid," she muttered.

"A lot of people are," he agreed. "Alright, now that you know the motives and you've been acquainted with some of the members, we can begin to figure out where they are."

"Okay," Taylor agreed after a sense of anxiety began flooding her veins.

Hiiragi smiled and together, they began discussing possible whereabouts.

.

Coushander crouched down and put his hands together so that Taylor could climb onto the horse. Dalzen looked around and made sure nothing could happen. He was weary of possible attacks happening, and since they had no clue why Taylor was there, no one was safe. Coushander helped Taylor step up onto the horse and then helped her sit on him. Then, Coushander climbed up behind her and he smiled.

"You ready?"

"Uhuh," Taylor nodded.

"Alright," Coushander messed up Taylor's hair. "Now, I want you to pay close attention, sweetheart."

"I will, Grandpa Kousa," Taylor nodded.

Cou took the reins and showed Taylor how to ride a horse. Meanwhile, Dalzen watched around for any signs of attack. He stood still with his arms crossed and with Coushander talking to Taylor behind him. For a moment, he let his guard down to watch how Coushander was treating Taylor. She was smiling as they rode.

Suddenly, Dalzen heard shouting from behind and he turned and saw a yellow-haired boy chasing after a smaller, silver-haired boy, who looked rather panicked being chased by a boy a few years older than he was.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" the boy with yellow hair and blue eyes and whiskers on either cheek shouted at the younger boy. "Come back!"

The younger boy was covering his head with his hands, tears streaming down his face.

"No way!" he cried. Immediately, he spotted Dalzen and ran behind him. "Don't let him get me!"

Dalzen stopped the elder boy with his hand and Coushander and Taylor looked over to see what was going on.

"What's going on?" Coushander asked as he pulled up beside Dalzen on the horse.

"That idiot hit me!" the younger boy pointed at the elder boy. "And then he started chasing me for some stupid reason."

Taylor studied the younger boy and his scent infiltrated her airways. Then, she reached down and touched his head.

"Daddy?" she whispered.

He looked up at her and blinked, "Who are you calling your dad?"

Taylor stared at him and Dalzen looked.

"Oh shit...you're Sakumo's son," he realized.

The blond boy looked at Taylor, "Hey, you're Kakashi-Sensei's daughter, aren't you?"

"Y-Yeah?" Taylor asked.

"And who are you?" Dalzen asked.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto grinned.

Taylor kept poking Kakashi, and eventually he took a step forward so he could get away from her poking him. Taylor reached to poke him again, overreached and fell off the horse. Coushander realized she'd fallen off but it was too late to catch her when he saw her land awkwardly on her leg moments later with a cry of pain. Coushander immediately hopped off and crouched down beside his beloved great-granddaughter.

"Taylor-kun," Naruto muttered in shock.

Coushander put his hand on Taylor's shoulder gingerly, "Taylor?"

She looked up with tears in her eyes and Coushander scooped her up to try to keep her calm. She buried her face in his chest and cried. Dalzen ran his finger through his hair.

"Oh my..."

"So, anyways, who are you guys?" Naruto asked.

"I'm Dalzen Morino," Dalzen introduced. "And this is Coushander Hatake..."

Kakashi looked at Coushander, "Dad?"

"No," Coushander muttered hotly. "Your grandfather."

"O-Oh," Kakashi nodded as Coushander tried to calm Taylor back down.

Dalzen was the only one who seemed to know what was going on.

"Uhm, guys," Dalzen interrupted quietly. "I know this may make me sound like a lunatic, but I think both of you are victims of a the time jutsu."

"Time jutsu?" Naruto asked. "What's that?"

"A jutsu that sends you to whatever time the user pleases," Dalzen told him. "Neither of you have a place to stay...do you...?"

"No," Kakashi answered.

"Not really," Naruto looked down.

"What do we do?" Coushander wondered. "I'd be willing to take Kakashi in since he's family but Naruto?"

"Okay, uhm I'm sure we can figure something out," Dalzen looked at Taylor. "We'll have to talk to Nidai because obviously something is going on here. And get Taylor checked out to make sure she's not seriously hurt."

"N-Nidai?!" Naruto exclaimed. "Whaaat?!"

"Holy crap!" Kakashi exclaimed.

Dalzen sighed heavily has he stood up, "Yes, you're in the time of the Second Hokage."

Naruto stared at Dalzen as he walked away, "Coushander go get Taylor looked at."

"I know, Dalzen," Coushander stood up slowly as he held Taylor in his arms.

"Sometimes, I'm not sure you know what you think you know," Dalzen sighed. "Alright. Naruto-kun, Kakashi-kun, you come with me to talk to Nidaime. We'll meet back at the Konoha hospital so we can figure things out."

"Okay," Coushander bowed, leaving with Taylor. Dalzen turned and led Naruto and little Kakashi to Nidaime.

...

"Sakumo, I swear someone just took Taylor away!" Harou told Sakumo. "D-Dalzen, you saw him too!"

Dalzen nodded, "And I think I have a good idea as to who he is."

Sakumo looked over at Dalzen, "Who? Who do you think it was?"

"I believe it was Hiiragi, but he looked a hell of a lot older," Dalzen told him.

"Well then, that must mean something is wrong," Sakumo commented.

"I know," Dalzen agreed, then paused in confusion. "Uhm, is it weird that I remember a 10-year-old Kakashi and his pupil, Naruto, right now?"

Sakumo's breath caught in his throat, "Oh shit...that means there are more time jutsu victims. Now my own son is a victim..."

"Oh no," Harou blinked in disbelief. "Not good!"

"But what does _that_ mean?" Dalzen wondered.

"I'm not sure," Sakumo looked up. "Oh dear..."

Suddenly, they heard a 'poof' and when they looked up, Hiiragi was standing there with Taylor in his arms, but he looked older than in the sketch. There were a few highlights of grey in his dark hair and he had a fatherly look in his face, and also had a melancholic hair to him. Taylor was asleep in his arms and they were covered in dust. Hiiragi blushed when he saw Dalzen.

"Grandpa Dalzen, so nice to see you again..." he said, almost adding, _After ten years..._

Dalzen was shocked, "But...it's only been five minutes! How is she asleep?"

"Her room is the one closest to the living room?" Hiiragi asked, evading Dalzen's question.

"Er, yeah," Sakumo nodded.

Hiiragi rushed past them and brought Taylor to her room. He laid her down on her bed and pulled her blankets over her. He took the Tomomasa doll and tucked him in beside her. Immediately, she turned onto her side and clutched her doll. After a few moments of gazing upon Taylor sadly, he kissed her head and then he left, closing the door behind him.

Back in the kitchen, Dalzen, Harou, and Sakumo looked at each other and remarked over how Taylor fell asleep so fast.

"How is she asleep after only a few minutes?" Sakumo asked.

"I think I have a bad feeling about this," Dalzen hung his head.

"He must've hurt her!" Harou exclaimed in a whisper. "Maybe he gave her a sleeping pill or something!"

"Harou, no way!" Sakumo exclaimed. "I doubt that's the case, I've spent more time with Hiiragi and he's a very nice kid. I"m sure there is a logical explanation as to why Taylor is asleep."

"I hope so," Dalzen said.

"I hope so too," Harou agreed.

Hiiragi had his hands in his coat pockets now as he entered the kitchen. It was obvious he was not the same Hiiragi they'd met over two months ago. He was much older and his hair was shorter. His face, despite looking father-like, was now in a frown and serious. Earlier, he had a soft but gentle look, however it was obvious now that the only reason he looked even remotely happy was because of Taylor, but now that she's in bed and out of sight, he simply couldn't smile.

"I'm sure you're wondering..." he said in a low voice, then continued in an embarrassed whisper, "I fainted in the bathroom and she fell asleep waiting on me."

"We were, thank you for enlightening us," Dalzen answered with a gruff voice. "Now, where did you go for five minutes? What did you do to Taylor to make her fall asleep in only five minutes?!"

Hiiragi furrowed his eyebrows upward in sadness, "Please don't be mad, Grandpa. I know you're protecting Taylor, but there is no need for hostility with me. I want to protect her as much as you, Sakumo-san and Kakashi-san want to."

Dalzen eyed him dubiously, "You hardly know her...well, not as well as I know her."

Hiiragi shook his head, "That isn't true. I'm from the future; we're married with kids. Try telling me that again."

Dalzen and Sakumo gasped, "What?"

"I'm here of my own free will, no one sent me here," he said, then looked down. "There's no one left to send me places anyways."

Sakumo's breath caught in his throat, "What do you mean?"

"I'm gonna tell you two what I told Taylor," he responded. "I'm not taking you where I took her yet, though. I need to sleep but this is a sorta quick explanation of what my purpose here is."

"I'm all ears," Dalzen huffed.

"Yeah, I'm listening, kid," Sakumo nodded.

Hiiragi inhaled deeply to try to keep calm.

"As you already know, I'm here from the future," he started, leading into an explanation lasting at least ten minutes, omitting anything he thought they shouldn't know. Sakumo could see Hiiragi trembling as he fought to keep himself calm by the end, so he walked over to Hiiragi and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. Hiiragi's face went pale, like he was sick, and Sakumo led him to the couch. Dalzen was in shock of what Hiiragi just said; he was trying to picture the dystopian world Hiiragi described but he couldn't. It was no wonder Hiiragi looked sick to his stomach, considering he lost his wife and children—that wife being Taylor in the future.

Sakumo tried to comfort Hiiragi, but he couldn't hold strong. Hiiragi fought tears and Sakumo gave him a box of tissues from the coffee table.

"If you need to cry, I won't judge," he said. "And if you need a place to sleep, you feel free to use the couch. Not like it gets used very often anymore." He smiled and stood up. Right now, Harou was sharing Dalzen's room because he wanted to be able to lock himself in a room to hide away. The couch was available again.

"Th-Thank you...Sakumo," Hiiragi thanked. "Y-You're so kind."

Sakumo shook his hand and then bowed his head, "I need to talk to Dalzen, is that alright?"

Hiiragi nodded, tears streaming down his face. Sakumo walked over to Dalzen, who gave him an amused smile and a shake of his head.

"Isn't this just familiar?" he asked.

"Totally different situations," Sakumo reminded.

"I know," Dalzen said. "Anyways, we've gotta stop that band of rogue shinobi."

"That that's messing with the future!" Sakumo exclaimed.

"Sakumo, it's already happening!" Dalzen argued in a quieted voice. "He said it himself, they're already here in the past to change the future. We have to stop them, you know we do. Taylor and I will take him to Intel and we'll arrange to have a mission put into place to find these guys and take them down before they make that future happen sooner. We can't let it happen, Sakumo."

Sakumo nodded, "I suppose you're right..."

"This is a lose-lose situation," Dalzen added. "The future will be changed either which way, but if we can change it for the greater good, then none of the good people die. No innocent people will die as a result of someone being a complete and total asshole about getting revenge."

"I don't think 'asshole' even begins to cover it," Sakumo laughed.

"Y-Yeah, I don't think that's the right word for those people," Harou agreed.

"You're right," Dalzen concurred. "I don't think there is a word to cover the disgusting people who would commit such a heinous act!"

"You're right about that, Captain," Sakumo agreed, looking over at Hiiragi lying down on the couch. He was clutching something—a bear. Did he have that tucked away in his jacket? "Aw..." He looked sad, "I can't imagine going through what he has..."

"Is he asleep?" Dalzen asked.

"Probably, he looked like he was going to collapse from exhaustion just a few minutes ago," Sakumo nodded, walking over.

"He'd said Taylor fell asleep when he left her for the restroom and when he came back, she was dead asleep on the cot," Dalzen realized.

"Do you think he time-traveled?" Sakumo asked.

"Or you know, he could've gone to the bathroom and been in there for half an hour, crying or moping," Dalzen answered.

"Oh... that makes more sense," Sakumo agreed. "He prolly can't help it...with everything he's gone through, if I were him I'd struggle to keep strong myself."

"Well, you've been through something similar but you didn't lose anyone, you just lost your hope," Dalzen pointed out, then continued with a whisper, "You did...commit suicide...after all."

"Don't remind me," Sakumo sighed. "I really hate being reminded of that, Captain."

"Can't help it," Dalzen shrugged. "Anyways...I don't know how I would be in his shoes."

"You would struggle to stay strong too, don't lie," Sakumo grinned.

"I'm having a hard time keeping it together being here," Harou said.

"Well, that's not entirely surprising, no offense," Sakumo told him.

"None taken, I guess," Harou shrugged.

Dalzen shook his head slowly as Sakumo sighed. Sakumo unfolded the blanket laying on the back of the couch and draped it over Hiiragi's body. The heater wasn't working, so it would be getting colder by the time midnight rolled around.

"You're so kind to people, Sakumo," Dalzen remarked. "You, Kakashi, Taylor..."

"Someone has to," Sakumo said quietly. "After all he's been through? He needs someone, Sensei. He's almost like you. Uhm, well, back when you were...like seventy years younger at Kiri..but he's more emotional..."

Dalzen frowned, but nodded.

"We all should go back to bed," Harou said after an awkward pause.

"It's late," Sakumo agreed. "Night."

"Night..." And all three men headed off to their rooms.

...

Taylor wiped away tears as Coushander sat her down on the patient's bed to wait for a medic. He'd rolled up Taylor's pant leg earlier to check and at first he hadn't realized how badly she hurt herself, but when he looked at her again she was reaching towards her leg to touch what appeared to be a bump on her shin. She poked it and gave a whimper of pain. Coushander realized that it may not be just a bump—more like, that was a broken bone trying to poke out.

"Shit..." he whispered.

"Grandpa Kousa, why does my leg hurt?" she whined.

"D-Don't touch it!" Coushander swatted her hand.

"Why?"

"It's prolly a broken bone," Coushander crossed his arms.

Soon, a nurse came in and examined Taylor.

"What happened?" she asked.

"She fell off a horse," Coushander answered. "She landed right on her leg."

"It looks broken," she commented. "I'll take her to get an x-ray—"

"A what?" Coushander asked.

"An x-ray," the nurse repeated. "It helps to determine whether or not someone has a broken bone. Don't worry, it won't cause her any harm."

Taylor tried to stand up, but couldn't because her leg hurt. Lucky for her, she was small enough to be carried (but almost too big). The nurse scooped Taylor up and went to leave. Coushander wanted to come but the nurse turned to him and pointed at the waiting area.

"You may go wait for her out there," she ordered.

Coushander pouted. He really didn't want to be separated from his dearest great-granddaughter, but he had to let her go. Taylor reached over the nurse's shoulder to take Coushander's hand.

He reached and touched her hand with a reassuring smile, "It's okay, sweetie. She'll fix you right up in a few minutes, I'm sure."

"Half an hour if her leg really is broke," the nurse took off with Taylor and Coushander walked over to the waiting and sulked. Thirty minutes later, Dalzen was there with the boys.

"Coushander, where's Taylor?" Dalzen asked.

"Probably having her leg fixed," he answered. "It looked broken."

"Damn," Dalzen cursed.

"Maybe if she wasn't poking me, she wouldn't have fallen off," Kakashi grumbled to Coushander.

"Well, I can't help that she's six and you...look just like her father," Coushander grumbled at Kakashi.

"Keep a better eye on her!" Kakashi growled.

Dalzen bonked Kakashi on the head, "Shut up, Kakashi. Stop being a little shit!"

Kakashi covered his head where Dalzen hit him and Naruto looked at Kakashi.

"Man! I thought he was mean as an adult," Naruto exclaimed. "Geez, Sensei. Why are you so mean?"

"Well, Sakumo isn't mean," Coushander looked at Dalzen. "I'm sure he wouldn't have raised Kakashi that way."

"You're right," Dalzen agreed. "I wonder why Kakashi is mean."

"Didn't Sakumo commit suicide?" Cou asked.

"Yeah," Dalzen looked at Kakashi. "Maybe that's what made him act this way."

"Perhaps..." Cou looked over his shoulder and saw Taylor walking back with a limp and saw her leg was wrapped up in bandages. "Hm?"

"I was mostly able to heal her," the nurse told him. "But as you can see, her leg isn't fully healed. I want you to make sure she stays off her feet for as long as possible."

Taylor walked up to Coushander and took his hand.

"Grandpa, can we go home now?" she asked tiredly.

He smiled at her, "Of course, Taylor."

Dalzen looked at Coushander and then at the boys.

"Uh, Nidai has assigned both boys to you until they're returned home," he told his friend.

Coushander gave a dumb look, "What?"

"Nidai's orders, Coushander," Dalzen told him. "Good luck—"

"Hell no, I'm not looking over both of them alone!" Coushander protested.

"Get Kano to help," Dalzen frowned.

"Dalzen..." Cou protested again.

"Get Kano..." Dalzen repeated.

Taylor allowed Coushander to scoop her up again and he sighed at the two boys. "Alright, fine. Come with me, you two."

Dalzen reached over and messed up Taylor's already messy hair, "You be good, alright?"

"Mhm," Taylor nodded with a smile.

"Naruto, Kakashi...try not to kill each other!" Dalzen glared at the two of them, then glared at Coushander. "And don't let them kill each other."

"I won't, Dalzen," Coushander sighed. "C'mon boys. I suppose I have no other choice but to allow you both to stay with me."

"Is there a ramen shop here?" Naruto asked. "I really want ramen."

"Prolly..." Dalzen sighed.

"I can make some, Naruto-kun," Coushander gave an exasperated sigh. "Can we go now?"

"I guess," both Naruto and Kakashi sighed.

"Well, shall we?" Coushander led the way and Taylor sighed contently as Coushander held her. She absolutely loved to be held; it made her feel safe. She glanced over at the boy who would eventually be her father and wished he knew, or rather understood.

.

.


	5. The Vagabond

**Chapter Five**  
The Vagabond

.

.

Kakashi suddenly gasped and sat up as fast as he could, wide awake now. Sweat dripped down his face as he panted from the adrenaline going throughout his body, and then he hunched over with a shaky sigh. _Goddamn it, Kakashi. That was not a dream! That was a memory, I swear. But that little girl...that was Taylor. But how?!_

He suddenly realized he was sweating and really thirsty. He coughed and looked beside him for a glass of water. If Kakashi had fallen asleep on the couch or something, Sakumo always gave him water in case he woke up thirsty. He saw the glass beside him and he reached down to grab it. After he drank enough water, he wiped his mouth on his arm and sighed. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned.

"Dad?"

Sakumo crouched, obviously concerned.

"Kakashi, are you okay, son?"

Kakashi panted, "No, not really."

"What's wrong?" Sakumo asked. "I mean, besides the fact Taylor is missing. Something scared you awake."

Kakashi swallowed hard, "Teirā-chan..." He looked at Sakumo, "I don't know how, but this man named Coushander, supposedly my grandfather, has Taylor. This other guy...Dalzen, says that Naruto and I are victims of a time jutsu or...something like that."

"C-Coushander?" Sakumo stammered. "You mean...Hatake? Coushander Hatake?"

"Y-Yeah...he looks like you," Kakashi nodded. "Except...different."

"Oh my god..." Sakumo remarked under his breath. "My father...who left me in the village when I was little to be found by Dalzen is taking very good care of our little Taylor. Kakashi, tell me everything from your dream.

"I think it was a memory," Kakashi corrected him.

"Well, tell me about it," Sakumo ordered.

"Alright," Kakashi winced at his father but told him everything about his memory. Once finished, Sakumo sighed heavily.

"Time jutsu, eh?" he muttered.

"I'm not sure," Kakashi sighed. "I just remember walking and then suddenly, I'm in another time. Well, I didn't know it until I spoke with Coushander and Dalzen. I was heading back to camp to find Minato-Sensei and when I get there, the clearing was empty of any sign of us and there were logs everywhere. Soon, I hear Naruto and then Naruto hits me on the head, I run off and he chases after me. I see Dalzen and I run behind him... Taylor starts poking my head and I step forward and she reaches too far and falls off the horse she was riding with Coushander. She went to the hospital, Dad."

"What a mess," Sakumo sighed. "How do we get her back?"

"I don't know," Kakashi looked to the side. "I don't even know what Naruto and I were really doing there." He paused, "Oh...I just remembered. I think Taylor was sick: she was starting to complain to Coushander about a stomach ache..."

"Aww! Poor baby," Sakumo furrowed his eyebrows upward with concern and gave a sad sigh. "There's something wrong going on here, I just don't know what."

"Whatever it is sort of worries me," Kakashi agreed.

...

Taylor opened her eyes slowly and squinted at the light coming from her curtains that weren't properly closed the previous night. She was back in her room, in her bed. Were the events of the previous evening a dream? The last thing she remembered was Hiiragi getting sick to his stomach and running off to the restroom to puke. He was gone for over thirty minutes, he must've been really sick and instead of checking on him, Taylor chose to sleep. That was all real. Him, his tears, his gentle smile...The hand on her waist when he took her into the future. She realized that was real.

She sat up and looked at the time. 9am. She threw her legs over the side of her bed and stood up. She grabbed a set of her Intel clothes and left her room. When she left, she saw the future Hiiragi on the couch, sleeping. He looked like he was having a night terror; he was sweating as far as she could tell and he looked scared. She looked around and walked over to Hiiragi. She knelt down beside him and saw the teddy bear tucked in his arms. It was tan, but there was ash all over his fur. Was that one of the few things that actually survived the fire?

Taylor shook her head and put a gentle hand on his shoulder and hoped he would calm down. Tears started to stream down his face and Taylor wiped them away.

"Hiiragi," she whispered. "It's okay..."

Hiiragi started weeping and Taylor panicked. Her face turned red and she immediately got up and ran to the bathroom before he woke up and realized she was there. He did notice, but before he'd stopped weeping she was already in the bathroom. He pushed himself up onto his knees and looked down the hall. He stared at the hallway with tears streaming down his pale face. He gave a sad chuckle.

"She's so timid," he said.

Taylor was in the bathroom with her back pressed against the wall, her face as red as an apple. Why did she feel so embarrassed? She wasn't entirely sure why she felt so embarrassed. Was it because she knew that they would be together and that they'd have kids or something? She didn't know.

After she calmed down, she got ready for her showed and she tried to push her embarrassment aside.

...

When Sakumo walked down the hall during his granddaughter's shower, he saw Hiiragi near the trash can, throwing up.

"Hiiragi?" he asked.

Hiiragi took the paper towel he had beside him and wiped his mouth and nose. He looked up.

"Radiation poisoning," he admitted. "Sometimes I get nauseous and I vomit from it."

"Oh..."

"I've been exposing myself to a ton of radiation," Hiiragi sighed. "Konoha was far from the nukes but we were close enough to at least get a bit of radiation. I have some bleeding going on in my mouth and I faint from time to time. I fainted in the restroom last night at Intel—future Intel— that's why I was gone for over an hour. I'm also pretty weak, but I still made myself carry Taylor...because she has always loved being carried. Well, there's the basics without getting into the too much information zone."

"Well then, shall we leave it there?" Sakumo smiled.

"Of course," Hiiragi ran his fingers through his hair, "Funny how I'm not losing any hair except for the occasional and normal shedding...I guess I've got strong hair or something."

"That is strange," Sakumo agreed. "You going to be okay?"

"Yeah," Hiiragi agreed. "I'll be fine."

"Would you like breakfast?" Sakumo asked, not sure if he should really ask because the kid just threw up. But at the same time, it looks as if he hasn't had a decent meal in ages.

"Yeah," Hiiragi smiled. "I'd appreciate it, I haven't had a decent meal in months! Doesn't help I can't find any food worth a damn back in the future and that I'm...unfortunately, really broke so I have to hunt around for decent food."

Sakumo smiled back. Well, if Hiiragi was sure he could handle eating...then, Sakumo was glad to cook. He gestured at the table, "Well then, how about you sit down and I'll give you some tea to help calm your nerves?"

"Okay," Hiiragi sat down at the table as Sakumo began cooking. Taylor walked into the kitchen and saw Hiiragi wiping sweat from his forehead. He didn't look very well, so she sat down beside him.

"You okay?" she asked in a timid whisper.

He looked at her and nodded, "Yeah. I'm fine."

"You sure? You're pale and sweating," Taylor pointed out.

He looked down with embarrassment, "Radiation poisoning."

"I thought we were safe outside there!" she exclaimed in total panic.

"We are, if we're only outside for short periods of time," Hiiragi coughed. "I keep going outside to look at the landscape so I can remind myself of why I want to stop Nikumu Moeteiru."

"You go outside long enough to get irradiated?" Taylor asked.

Hiiragi looked down and nodded.

"Are you...dying from it?" Taylor was scared to ask the question.

"Slowly..." Hiiragi nodded.

"That's awful!" Taylor exclaimed.

Hiiragi was about to nod again but his nose began bleeding.

"Geez, I know I'm cute but that's ridiculous," Taylor teased.

Hiiragi quickly covered his nose, looking surprised.

"Tissue!" he exclaimed. "I-I need a tissue!"

Sakumo quickly rushed over to the box of tissues he kept in the kitchen and tossed it to Hiiragi, who caught the box with one hand. He dropped it on the table and yanked out a tissue, covering his nostrils to try and stop the bleeding. Taylor frowned and watched him and he looked down.

"You're punishing yourself for something completely out of your control?" she whispered, upset by him getting radiation poisoning.

"It's just a reminder..." Hiiragi said after a tense pause. "I'll die in this time, anyways, if things go right. And if I die in this time... I hope I'll be with you so that I won't feel lonely as I die? And I hope that Nikumu Moeteiru is defeated by then..."

Taylor swallowed hard as Hiiragi took her by her hands with his free hand. Sakumo peeked over his shoulder at them, seeing Hiiragi holding Taylor's tiny hands in his large hand. It amused the elder Hatake to see Taylor being held by her hands by someone much bigger than she was—kinda like Dalzen, except this guy was still a total stranger to her.

Hiiragi looked so mature, but he had a feeling of childish fear in his eyes, but not the bad kind of childish. He removed the tissue after a few seconds, noticing the bleeding had stopped, and he tossed the tissue into the trash can. Then, he clutched her hands.

"Will you please stay by my side until the end, Taylor?" he asked gently. "Please, I can't bear to be alone anymore. It's just for awhile, I swear. Just till the end for me. Y-You don't have to love me or anything, I just want the last thing I see to be your beautiful face..."

Taylor, starting to feel the bond with him, swallowed hard. She couldn't say no, so she nodded her head.

"O-Of course, I will," she promised.

"Promise?" Hiiragi asked.

"I promise," Taylor promised.

Hiiragi put his arms around her and he hugged her and for once, Taylor didn't mind being hugged by him. Though, she thought it was weird that he was crying again.

"Thank you so much, Taylor!" he sobbed.

Taylor squeaked and tried to respond, "Y-Yeah. N-N-No problem, Hiiragi-San..."

He clutched her shoulder weakly and whispered, "I'm so sorry..." He tried to take a deep breath. "This is so sudden..."

"I'm used to it by now," she picked up her glass of tea that Sakumo set down as she spoke and she sipped it. "Really, I am."

"I know..." Hiiragi said. "That's the sad part—you've already been through so much...and then this. Goddess, I don't know how you stay so strong, Taylor...but honestly, it's inspiring."

Taylor waved him off, "Don't say that. It's not inspiring, it's just the way I work...I suppose. Even then, really, I've broken down in tears too many times to count this past year."

Hiiragi reached for another tissue, thinking his nose was going to start bleeding again but it didn't.

"Tears..." he withdrew his hand. "People consider crying to be a sign of weakness. However, it's not. It's the result of being strong for too long, pretending you're life isn't fucked up or that it's crumbling around you slowly...I, myself, have been strong for too long, and you can see what it has done to me."

"Y-You cried last night," Taylor pointed out.

"I hadn't ever since you four had died in the fire," Hiiragi said. "You, Lord Kakashi—I mean...Kakashi— Uhm...Ryou-Kou and Matty...I cried then and went a few months without crying—er a whole year, actually. It's been a whole year. The war started less than a month after the fire. I watched the shinobi villages kill each other with nukes and then the whole world followed suit. I've been too strong for so long...I don't know how I did it."

"I dunno either," Taylor swallowed hard.

Dalzen walked in tiredly, "Ohayo..."

"Morning," Sakumo greeted.

"Morning, Uncle Dalzen," Taylor tried to smile, realizing she was still being held by Hiiragi.

Dalzen stopped and looked at her. She blinked and mouthed to him, "don't you dare say it." Dalzen held his hands up and backed off from any attempt at a tease. He decided to glance out the window over the sink.

"Hey, it's snowing...again?" he raised an eyebrow.

"It is...isn't it?" Sakumo agreed.

Hiiragi looked out the window, "It is?" He looked down and hugged Taylor as tightly as he could, but it wasn't much. Taylor looked up at him and she put her hands on his face and he looked at her.

"Don't look so down! We can get to Intel still," she assured. "Don't worry, we'll tell Inoichi and Ibiki and Dura about the situation and we'll figure out what to do do from there." She smiled. "I promise."

He gave a sad smile, "I know."

Dalzen looked at Hiiragi and Taylor and smiled.

"So she does fall in love with someone other than me," he chuckled.

"Though, she didn't stray too far from the tree," Sakumo teased. "Another Morino. Looks like you'll be her great-grandfather-in-law."

"Don't even mention it," Dalzen growled.

"Sorry," Sakumo chuckled.

Dalzen stared out the window, "I wonder how Konoha looks as a dystopia. Must be interesting."

"Rather scary," Sakumo said.

"That too."

"I can show you guys if you'd like," Hiiragi offered. "When we get to Intel, I'd like to show you guys."

Taylor shuddered at the thought of returning but Sakumo and Dalzen agreed to it. She looked down, _It's super scary...though._

Dalzen gave a gentle smile to Taylor, "Hey, when's the new book going to come out?"

"Dunno yet. Hopefully in April," Taylor answered quietly. She kept her gaze down, her cheeks red with embarrassment. She loved Dalzen but now she knows she'll marry his great-grandson. It made her feel weird knowing that. Dalzen sat beside her and looked at her.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Taylor nodded.

"Feeling overwhelmed?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"I get it," Dalzen nodded. "Not sure what to say, really. Sorry."

"It's fine," Taylor sighed. "I'll be fine...eventually..."

Hiiragi turned his head to look out the kitchen window and he thought about the future. Nikumu Moeteiru was messing with time, but so was Hiiragi. He was there for the greater good, and that's what mattered most.

...

Everyone sat at the table, quietly eating. Taylor sat right beside Coushander while Kakashi sat across from them and Naruto on one side and Kano on the other. Naruto had ramen while everyone else had miso soup and fish, courtesy of Kano. Though, Taylor had only two bites of her fish before she gave it to Coushander to finish and she sipped her miso soup. Her great-grandfather looked at her with concern.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" he asked gently.

Taylor sat her bowl of miso down and shook her head.

"No..."

"What's wrong, Taylor-kun?" asked Naruto, looking over at her.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Kano wondered.

"I-I don't feel so good," she said in a quiet voice.

"Oh my, today is just not your day," Coushander told her.

Taylor shook her head and Kano went to stand up.

"Well, I'll put her in bed—"

"N-No, I can take her to bed," Coushander interrupted.

"No, you sit down and eat," Kano stood up and helped Taylor stand up. "Do you want her in your bed?"

"Yes please," Coushander gave an exasperated sigh.

"C'mon, Taylor," Kano gestured. "I'll get you to bed and you tell me what's wrong so I can give you medicine."

"Okay..." Taylor took Kano's hand.

Naruto picked up his glass of water, "I hope you feel better, Taylor-kun."

Kakashi only could watch as Kano led Taylor out to get her in bed. He looked down at his bowl.

"So what, is she supposed to be a shinobi?" he asked Coushander.

"One of the best I've ever known," Coushander answered truthfully.

"She's really weak for supposedly being my future child," Kakashi muttered as he ate.

Naruto elbowed Kakashi, "Kakashi-Sensei, that's mean of you to say!"

"I'm just a kid, what else do you expect?" Kakashi asked.

"I expect you to be nicer to her," Coushander growled.

"Why?" Kakashi asked. "It's not like anyone else is nice to me. Besides, if she really is a shinobi she's just like my damn father— weak, a cry baby and a coward."

"Kakashi!" Coushander exclaimed. Damn, Kakashi just insulted Coushander's son and he just insulted his own daughter...though, of course she's not his daughter quite yet but still. "How could you say those things?"

"Easily, considering my father killed himself like the coward he was!" Kakashi cried out in anger.

"That doesn't mean that you should call him any of those things," Coushander argued. "And considering you don't even know Taylor well enough, you have no right to judge her."

Naruto watched as Kakashi stood up.

"You wouldn't understand!" Kakashi cried.

"You're right, I don't understand," Coushander agreed. "My father never killed himself, however, I've lost someone close to me much like you have. I know how angry you are..."

"No you don't!" Kakashi exclaimed. "You don't know a damn thing about me."

Before Coushander could respond, Kakashi turned and ran off. Kano was on her way back to the kitchen when she saw Kakashi brush past her and run into his room. He looked absolutely pissed, but when she saw Coushander, he looked like he would cry. Naruto looked over at Coushander.

"Uhm...Coushander-sama?" he asked. "A-Are you okay?"

Coushander shook his head slowly.

"Should I ask?" Kano wondered.

"Kakashi-Sensei was bullying Taylor-kun," Naruto answered.

"Why would he do that? Doesn't he realize she's his future daughter?" Kano asked.

"I don't think he cares," Coushander sighed.

Naruto scratched behind his head, "Man, Sensei's a jerk as a kid. And I thought Sasuke was a jerk!"

Coushander looked at Kano, "So what's wrong with Taylor?"

"Tummyache," Kano answered. "And a slight fever. I'm not entirely surprised, people have been getting sick a lot lately. I'm gonna make some ginger tea which should help her with her tummyache. For her fever...I will give her an ibuprofen. It'll lower her fever."

"Is she old enough to take that?" Coushander asked.

"I'm giving her half of one to be sure," Kano assured him. "She'll be fine, I promise."

"If you say so," Coushander sighed.

Naruto wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his jacket and glanced at Coushander, "Thank you for the food, Coushander-sama."

"Yeah," Coushander nodded. "Go on, Naruto-kun."

Naruto bowed and left for his room. Coushander sighed and slowly rose to his feet, "I suppose I could go to bed."

"Be careful not to catch what Taylor has," Kano warned.

"I'll be fine, Keiko," he took his dishes and put them in the sink.

"I'm just warning you, Coushander," Kano pointed out.

"I know, and I appreciate it but I'm gonna be fine," Coushander grabbed a glass of water and headed to his room, where Taylor was curled up in the middle, where soon she'd be sleeping in between Coushander and Kano. Or, at least that's what he thought. She gave a cough as she clutched her teddy bear. Coushander sat down beside her and put a gentle hand on her back.

"You okay, sweetheart?" he asked.

Taylor shook her head, "My tummy hurts..."

"Well, Kano is making you ginger tea right this moment," Coushander promised her.

"Okay," Taylor nodded, looking upset.

"Is there something else that's wrong?" Coushander asked.

Taylor sat up and looked at him, "Am I really weak, Grandpa?"

"What?! Absolutely not!" Coushander reassured her.

"I heard Chibi Daddy say that..." Taylor pouted. "He'd never tell me a lie."

"He's not the same person your father is now," Coushander told her. "He's a little kid...kids can be cruel but some grow out of it like your father did before he had you. Dalzen used to be mean too, but now he's pretty relaxed."

Taylor pouted and Coushander sighed, "Taylor, don't believe a word Chibi Kakashi tells you as a kid. What he says doesn't matter, alright?"

Taylor blinked away tears and nodded. Coushander sighed and hugged her, "It's okay, Taylor. I promise, none of what he said is true."

Kano came inside with hot ginger tea and she gave it to Taylor, "You need to drink this entire glass, alright?"

"Okay," Taylor took the glass and started drinking.

Kano stroked her hair and gently kissed her head, "Once you finish drinking, you should go to sleep. Alright?"

"Mhm," Taylor nodded. "I will."

"You're not staying?" Coushander asked.

"I told you I've got work tonight," Kano reminded.

"Ugh, fine," Coushander groaned.

Coushander and Kano kissed and then Kano left. He sighed and lied down on the bed.

"Just give me the cup when you f—"

Taylor gave him the cup. He looked and she was already done drinking it. He gave a wry chuckle.

"Uhm, well then," he took her glass and he set it down beside him on the night stand. "Go to sleep, Taylor. Wake me if you need anything."

"Okay," Taylor lied down on her side and closed her eyes again.

"Good night, Teirā-chan," Coushander told her softly.

"Night, Grandpa Kousa," Taylor coughed, pulling her blanket over her shoulders.

Coushander turned out the lamp and he too went to sleep.

...

A few days passed. Hiiragi had shown Sakumo, Dalzen, Ibiki, Dura and Inoichi what the future of Konoha would be if they didn't stop Nikumu Moeteiru and now, everyone was worried. Taylor and Kakashi both were randomly remembering things that happened between the two of them in the past.

"Do you remember when you were 6 and I was 10 and we were with Coushander...and I started calling you names?" Kakashi would ask her.

"Yeah I was in Coushander's room and I could hear you..." Taylor would answer.

One day, Taylor was walking around the village. She needed to be alone. 12-year-old Naruto, 10-year-old Kakashi, 6-year old Taylor were in the past while Harou was in the future. She buried her face into her coat's collar and gave an exasperated sigh at the recent events.

"Man...what the hell is causing all of this?" she wondered under her breath.

Soon, she felt a hand on her shoulder and when she looked up, it was the older Hiiragi. He gave her a gentle look as she looked away.

"What?" she asked.

"You looked lonely..." he told her. "And sad...it is because of me?"

Taylor stopped and face him, "No...it's not you." She crossed her arms and exhaled an annoyed sigh, "It's just...my dad, Dalzen, and I have been experiencing really strange things lately."

"Weird...things?" Hiiragi asked.

"New memories," Taylor told him. "Memories we swear we'd never had before."

"Like what?" Hiiragi asked.

Taylor looked to the side, "Like 6-year-old me meeting my dad as a 10-year-old and him bullying me."

"That's strange, indeed," Hiiragi nodded.

Taylor looked at him, "Do you know anything about this?"

"Not really, but perhaps there are holes that have been ripped which could cause people to go to another time if they walk into them," Hiiragi told her.

"Perhaps?!" Taylor exclaimed.

Hiiragi sighed, "Alright, there _are_ timeholes..."

"Hiiragi, that has gotta be fixed!" Taylor cried out in anger.

"That can't be fixed, Taylor. Not right now, anyways..." Hiiragi frowned.

"Why not?" Taylor demanded.

Hiiragi suddenly couldn't look at her and he looked away nervously.

"Why?" she demanded again. "Hiiragi, tell me why!"

He bared his teeth as he fought back frustrated tears.

"Because...of me...and...Nikumu Moeteiru..." Hiiragi choked out.

"You're causing this?" Taylor asked and then realization hit her. "That's why I passed out when I tried to fix things a few years ago...that...makes sense...I passed out because..."

"I stopped you by countering the jutsu," he told her. "But I made it seem like that you'd fixed the timeline."

"Why?" Taylor asked.

"Because I had to keep it this way until I could defeated Nikumu Moeteiru," Hiiragi told her. "I'm sorry, Taylor..."

"Well, let's go find those bastards and defeat them so that the timeline can be fixed and we can get little me out of the past and Daddy and Naruto too...and then get Harou home..."

"Taylor, it's not that simple," Hiiragi pointed out.

He touched her shoulders gently and sighed, "Listen, we haven't found them yet. We can't go beat them up until we know where they are."

Taylor glared at him, but then her glare faded as she started shivering under her sweater. It was colder than she'd anticipated, so she'd left her jacket at home. Hiiragi gave a soft sigh and took off his jacket, draping it over her shoulders. She touched the jacket and looked up at Hiiragi, blushing with embarrassment.

"Come, we can go to Intel and try to continue the search if you really want to do so," Hiiragi told her gently.

"Fine, I suppose," she muttered.

He put his hand on her back and led her forward, looking down sadly.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Don't be," Taylor told him.

"Sorry," Hiiragi repeated.

She sighed in exasperation but she couldn't make herself feel mad at him. She couldn't feel mad at him for some reason. Why? Was it because she understood him? Or perhaps he'd gone through so much to be with her again that she didn't want to hurt him any more than he's already been hurt?

Taylor wished she could understand her own feelings better than she did but obviously she didn't know herself well enough. With a sigh, she continued to follow Hiiragi's lead.

...

Coushander woke up to a thumping sound. At first, he wasn't sure what it was, which led to him standing up and putting on his kimono. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Taylor wasn't in the bed but Kano was still asleep. Perhaps Taylor got up to use the bathroom and possibly tripped over herself walking. Coushander gave a weak cough as he exited his room to check and when he got out into the hall, he saw Taylor lunging at Kakashi and him dodging.

"Give it back!" she cried. "That's my daddy's!"

"You can fight me for it," Kakashi told her plainly.

Coushander looked up and saw Kakashi was holding her dog tag above his head, out of Taylor's reach. Taylor reached up hopelessly and then, out of anger, lunged at Kakashi again but this time not missing him and immediately began pounding on him. She held him down; a tiny girl versus a boy who was much taller than she was. She was able to hold him down and punch him.

"Give it back, you meanie!" she cried as she punched him. The last punch she was able to throw was aimed right at his nose and she broke it. Coushander could actually hear the crack of her fist breaking his nose. That's when he knew he had to stop her before she hurt him even more, her own father.

Kakashi gave a cry of pain, "Okay, okay! I'm sorry!" He threw the dog tag into her face, "There!"

Taylor winced but before she could react, Coushander swooped in and pulled Taylor off of Kakashi, grabbing the dog tag. He looked at Kakashi as the kid scrambled to his feet. Taylor had began crying as she buried her face in Coushander's chest, mad at Kakashi for making her hurt him by stealing her dog tag. Well, it wasn't hers exactly but Kakashi gave it to her in the future. Coushander tried to comfort Taylor and he glared at Kakashi.

"Why'd you steal her necklace, Kakashi?" he asked.

"She wouldn't fight me and I saw the dog tag in her hands so I snatched it from her," Kakashi touched his nose. "Ow! I think she broke my nose!"

"You deserve it," Coushander scolded him as he took Taylor back to his room. "Kano, would you use your medical ninjutsu on Kakashi, please? Taylor just beat the living hell out of him."

Kano rose to her feet tiredly and rubbed her eyes, "What? What did he do to deserve that?"

"Forced her to attack him by stealing her necklace," he set Taylor on the bed and gave her the dog tag back. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

Taylor's eyes were still full of tears but she nodded slowly.

"Mm..." Kano shook her head. "Boys..." With a sigh, she left the room to deal with Kakashi.

Taylor stared at the front of the dog tag. On it was the kana for Kakashi's name so Coushander decided to ask her about it.

"Is that your father's?"

Taylor nodded.

"Why do you have it?"

"Daddy gave it to me," she told him as she put it back on around her neck. "He said I wouldn't be lonely if I kept it with me."

Coushander smiled gently, "Well, next time he tries to do something like that, please just let me know instead of attacking him."

"He said I'd be a coward if I told you," Taylor told him.

"You're not," Coushander assured her. "If you tell me, you're doing what I asked you to do. Alright?"

Taylor gave a sad nod, "Okay..."

Coushander gently messed up her hair, "Good. Now, I'm gonna start on breakfast and would you like to try horse riding again today?"

"Sure!" Taylor smiled, then coughed. Her cold was still lingering, but she seemed fine enough to go ride a horse again.

"Alright, we'll do that later with Dalzen then," Coushander told her. "After breakfast, we can go out and get Dalzen and I can teach you how to ride a horse."

"Okay," Taylor agreed.

"Good girl," Coushander gave a nod of approval and then he bent down and gave her a kiss on her head, then quickly leaving.

Kano had pulled Kakashi's mask down and she looked shocked by the amount of damage to his nose Taylor had caused.

"Coushander, look at how hard Taylor hit him," she pointed. "She really broke his nose. I didn't know she could hit that hard, I mean if it weren't for medical ninjutsu I think he'd have to have surgery on that."

"Well, I suppose it's a damn good thing we have medical ninjutsu," Coushander responded. "But man, did Taylor actually do that?"

"Uhm, of course she did," Kano answered. "But I agree, it doesn't look like she did do that."

"She's really strong..." Coushander blinked in disbelief.

"Obviously..." Kakashi grumbled. "Please, just fix my nose...I can't freaking breathe!"

Kano sighed and put her hands over his nose to heal. Soon, Coushander heard tiny footsteps behind him and when he turned, he watched Taylor as she stopped beside him. She was carrying her teddy bear in her arms and she looked very serious.

"I can do worse than that," she whispered. "My daddy had me fight Grandpa to show him what I could do, prove what Grandpa had said was true—that I was really strong. I took Grandpa down..."

Coushander looked at her, surprised. Sakumo was about 6'2" and weighed three or possibly four times as much as she did, considering that she was about 50 pounds. She took down a man that was four times her size?

"I'd attacked a bad guy when I first became a genin and he was about the same size as Grandpa but my father wouldn't believe it until he saw me attack Grandpa," Taylor continued. "Grandpa's okay now but I really hurt him and I feel really bad for hurting him. He told me that he was proud of me for taking him down though..."

"Wow..." Coushander remarked. He couldn't entirely blame Kakashi for not being able to believe that a tiny little girl could take down a man as big as her grandfather. And there was proof of how strong she was right in front of them.

"Alrighty then, I think it's time to start breakfast!" Kano quickly changed the subject because just like her husband, she was a bit freaked out by Taylor.

"I-I agree," Coushander concurred, taking Taylor by her hand and walking her into the kitchen. Kakashi pulled up his mask before anyone else could notice and he sighed.

"She's a weirdo," he muttered, then looked up at Naruto.

"She broke your nose, huh?" he asked.

"Shut up," Kakashi growled.

"Ya kinda deserved it," Naruto admitted to him, then walked away.

...

"I totally deserved it," Kakashi agreed with Sakumo and Yuugao as they discussed the memories.

"You did," Yuugao frowned. "Why would you do that to her?"

Kakashi shrugged, "I don't really remember why I was mean to her...I just did."

Yuugao smiled, "Well I'm sure you'll owe Taylor one hell of an apology when we get her back. You know that, right Kakashi-Senpai?"

"I'm sure I do," Kakashi agreed. "And she deserves one." He laid his head down on the table and gave a sad sigh, "I feel awful for my behavior as a child towards her..."

"At least my father is there for her," Sakumo crossed his arms. "I mean, he left _me_ out on the streets sometime after my mother died because I wanted to be a shinobi...Dalzen found me and trained me. But, from Kakashi's accounts of what's going on, it seems that my father really cares about Taylor. Not sure why though, he's dead and she's never met him before..."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure she's never met your father either," Kakashi looked at Yuugao. "Yuu, how do we get Taylor back?"

"I don't know, Senpai," she answered. "I don't know a damn thing about the time jutsu."

"Great, another mystery," Kakashi gave an exasperated sigh and he ran his fingers through his thick and messy silver hair in frustration. "Geez, what a mess!"

"It is a huge mess," Sakumo and Yuu agreed.

Kakashi turned his head and looked out the window. He wished he knew of a way to get her back home. There had to be a way to get her back; there just had to be. They all knew it.

...

Taylor tapped her fingers against her glass of tea as she ate lunch with Kakashi. She was mad at herself for not being able to be mad at Hiiragi for creating the time-holes. She glared at her drink. She wanted to be mad and yet here she was, not able to bring herself to be mad. Kakashi looked up from his bowl of udon and looked at his daughter, noticing the conflict crossing her face. He gave her a concerned look and he reached his hand over to touch her hand.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" he asked gently.

Taylor withdrew her hand and crossed her arms, sighing, "Well, not really."

"Care to tell me?" he asked.

Taylor sighed, "I didn't originally want to tell you this but...I feel like you should know."

"Know what, Taylor?" Kakashi wondered.

Looking down with a sad expression, she began telling her father about everything she would allow herself to tell that's been going on; why their memories were practically being rewritten as the spoke. "And what resulted in me meeting you as a kid is the fact that the elder Hiiragi keeps going through time, causing tears in time that we went through which resulted in our meeting..."

"Don't you know how to do the time jutsu, though?" Kakashi asked her once she finished. "That could help get everyone back home."

"I should, but something is blocking my memory," Taylor kept her solemn gaze. "Daddy, I don't know what to do. I want to return us back to our own times but I don't remember how and Hiira-san won't do it until we defeat Nikumu Moeteiru." Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran her fingers through her long hair and paused as she fought her frustrated tears.

"And we can't fix the timeline until Harou, Naruto, and the both of us are returned to our own times," Kakashi sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, sweetheart. It's not everyday that this happens and it's only been happening because the elder Hiiragi is going back and forth through time."

"I know," Taylor groaned and Kakashi reached over to give her a hug. She moved closer to him and she rested her head on his chest. "I wish the solution was easy and simple..."

"Unfortunately, it's not, sweetheart," Kakashi reminded gently as he held her and stroked her hair. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay..." Taylor gave a sad sigh as they snuggled together. She really needed his comfort right now.

.

.


	6. The Genjutsu Master

**Chapter Six**

The Genjutsu Master

.

.

Coushander mounted himself on the horse and helped Taylor up again. Once she was sitting in front of him, Coushander took the reins and gave them a flick to get the horse going.

"You have to flick the reins hard," he told her. "Which...I'm sure won't be a problem for you, sweetheart."

"Does it hurt the horse?" Taylor asked.

"It just startles them, that's all," Coushander assured her.

"Oh...okay..." Taylor watched closely as Cou showed her how to maneuver the horse. Meanwhile, Dalzen was on the side teaching Naruto and Kakashi about genjutsu.

"You're a genjutsu master?" Kakashi asked.

"Does that mean you have Uchiha blood?" Naruto asked.

"Oh _hell_ no!" Dalzen exclaimed. "No! Absolutely not, Naruto-kun. I'm from Country 14, we don't have any damn Uchiha there. Like I told you yesterday, I'm a Morino."

"Can you show us an illusion?" Naruto pleaded. "Please, Dalzen?"

Dalzen gave him a smirk, "Well, what makes you think that you're not already in a genjutsu?"

Naruto stared at Dalzen dumbly, "Huh?"

"Go on," Dalzen gestured at Naruto and Kakashi. "If you're smart enough, you'll figure it out."

Naruto and Kakashi glanced at each other, meanwhile Dalzen was outside the illusion and chuckling darkly at the children. Coushander glanced over at his friend and sighed. Taylor looked up at her grandpa as he sighed, glaring at Dalzen.

"Are you scaring the hell out of the children?" he asked.

Dalzen turned, "Everything is fine, Coushander! I promise. Nothing to see over here."

"Oh my..." Coushander shook his head. "Seriously? Dalzen, pull them out now!"

"No, I want to see if they can't figure it out," Dalzen told him.

Coushander gave him an exasperated sigh, "Okay, whatever you say..."

Dalzen turned back to continue watching Naruto and little Kakashi. Taylor watched as Coushander pulled back the reins to stop the horse. Smiling, he reached over her and gave her the reins, "You think you can do this, Taylor?"

"Sure," Taylor smiled. "I can certainly try."

"Well then, why don't you try it out?" Coushander suggested.

Taylor nodded and gave the reins a hard flick, causing a snapping sound and she startled the horse into running. Cou gave her a nod of approval and she smiled with joy as the horse ran.

"Grandpa, I got him running!"

"I see that, very good," Coushander praised her.

Little Kakashi and Naruto suddenly turned to each other and attacked. Dalzen looked startled to see them fighting but he wasn't entirely surprised. Coushander looked over at them.

"Aren't you going to stop 'em?" he asked.

"No, not really," Dalzen replied.

"Don't you think you should?" Coushander asked.

"Nah, they're fine," Dalzen assured.

"Dalzen, you do realize how scary your illusions are," Coushander pointed out.

"Yeah? So?" Dalzen glared at Coushander. "They're strong boys, I'm sure they can handle this."

"I'm not so sure," Coushander sighed.

"What does uncle Dalzen do?" Taylor asked.

"Dalzen does genjutsu," Coushander told her. "One of the scariest kinds of techniques."

"Are you a ninja?" Taylor asked him.

"I used to be," Cou answered gently. "Even then, I was an awful shinobi."

"I bet you were a great shinobi," Taylor smiled big. "Daddy told me it's Hatake nature to be great shinobi."

Coushander blushed, "Aww...you are too kind, Taylor."

Taylor smiled and Coushander took her hands and led her to turn the horse. Coushander eyed the boys nervously because the two of them had stopped and now were sweating and trembling in fear.

"Wh-What's that?" they heard Naruto ask.

"I dunno," Kakashi's eyes were wide with fear.

"Dalzen!" Coushander exclaimed.

Dalzen stood still, intrigued with their reactions.

"Wait for it..."

"Dalzen, what are y—"

Both boys hugged each other and screamed as something happened in the genjutsu. Dalzen was laughing a little at their reactions.

"I want my dad!" Kakashi cried, and as a child that took a lot for him to want his father.

"Iruka-Sensei!" Naruto cried.

"Dalzen!" Coushander exclaimed, making Taylor pull the horse up beside Dalzen.

"What?" Dalzen grinned.

Coushander reached down and touched Kakashi's shoulder and then Naruto's, pulling them out of the genjutsu, "You are traumatizing them!"

"Since when do you give a shit?" Dalzen asked.

"Dalzen, they're really scared," Coushander told him, getting off of the horse and helping Taylor off. "I didn't need to have two traumatized boys living with me."

"I'm sorry, they asked," Dalzen apologized.

"Really?" Coushander looked at the boys. "Did either of you ask to be shown a genjutsu?"

"Uhuh!" Naruto trembled.

"That idiot did," Kakashi glared at Naruto.

Coushander glared at Dalzen, "You are mean!"

Dalzen gave a grin, "Oh come on, don't give me that look Coushander. If you were a genjutsu master, you'd enjoy the hell out of this."

"Well, I'm not," Coushander sighed. "I'm not even a ninja."

"Well, at least appreciate that I entertained them," Dalzen told him.

"Yeah...whatever..." Coushander sighed.

...

Dalzen practiced genjutsu at Intel on Ibiki and Dura, willed to be scarred by whatever he had to offer for the sake of him practicing. Taylor walked in on them with the elder Hiiragi and saw Dalzen laughing at Dura, who was clinging to Ibiki's arm and obviously terrified. Meanwhile, Ibiki stood there unfazed by the genjutsu.

"This would be good for interrogation, Dalzen," he told Dalzen.

"Ah, you're not as easily scared as Dura is are you?" Dalzen wondered but realized Ibiki couldn't entirely hear him since he was mentally trapped in an illusion. "Oh...right."

"Well, if you want to use genjutsu we may have a perfect candidate," Taylor interrupted Dalzen.

"Oh really?" Dalzen pulled Ibiki and Dura out of the genjutsu. "Do tell."

Hiiragi handed him a file, "There are photos of this man who has been recruited by Nikumu Moeteiru and he's a spy living here in Konoha. Chances are he knows a lot about the group."

Dalzen took the fire and Taylor hugged Dura to comfort him. Dura was trembling and he looked like he'd pass out from being so scared. He hugged her back and he tried to calm down so he could get back to work. Dalzen was quiet as he examined the files. As he flipped through them, he stared at the man and was intrigued to see who he may have a chance to use a genjutsu on.

"Isn't this Haruki?" Dalzen asked.

"It is," Hiiragi nodded. "He's in a vulnerable state after having his ass kicked by Taylor. He wants revenge on her for hurting him (even though he hurt her first so of course she hurt him back) and so he's a perfect candidate for recruitment for Moeteiru."

"I thought they were only after revenge on Konoha?" Dalzen asked.

"Anything having to do with Konoha, actually," Hiiragi shrugged. "But, he's wearing the patch on his arm with the kanji on it. It's obvious. His rank is under it and three dots mean he's a Lieutenant Commander. That usually means they know a lot."

"Okay..." Dalzen nodded. "I suppose we can arrest him."

"Well, Taylor and I can go get him, while you get an interrogation room ready," Ibiki nodded at Dalzen and Dura. "Hiiragi, y—"

Hiiragi quickly shook his head, "N-No...I-I can't..."

"Why?" Ibiki asked.

Hiiragi covered his nose with a tissue quickly, "I feel really sick right now."

"Well, then...go to Beta Wing and there should be free cots available if you need to lie down," Ibiki pointed over towards where the Beta Wing was for Hiiragi.

"Take a trash can in case you puke," Dalzen added.

"Yeah," Ibiki kicked a can towards his son. "Use mine. Nothing in it yet and it has a bag already. "

"Thank you, father..." Hiiragi gave a weak smile as he grabbed the can and walked off to Beta Wing. Ibiki grabbed a pair of handcuffs off of his desk and gave them to Taylor.

"I figure you'd like to do the honors," he told her.

Taylor smirked, "You know me so well, Ibiki. Absolutely." She took the handcuffs and attached them to her belt loop. She slipped her trench coat on and followed Ibiki out to arrest Haruki.

...

As Ibiki and Taylor approached Haruki's home, Taylor felt a bit of guilt having to arrest him. She was miffed at him, but being the way-too-nice person that she was, she felt guilt. But then again, he assaulted her a week ago and the bastard deserved it. Taylor shivered a little and Ibiki pulled her close, making her face turn red with embarrassment.

"Uncle Ibiki...what are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm trying to warm you up," he answered. "You were shivering and you're terrible when you're cold."

Taylor blushed, "Uh...well...thank you, Uncle Ibiki."

Ibiki smiled as they approached Haruki's house. Once there, Ibiki let go of Taylor and he knocked on the door.

"Sato Haruki, Konoha Intelligence," he yelled. "Open up!"

"Hold on!" came Haruki's voice.

Taylor prepared the handcuffs. She was ready to take him in.

When the door opened up, he saw Taylor and was shocked but a smirk formed on his lips.

"Oh? Looks like you came back."

"Only to arrest your ass," Taylor grabbed him and yanked him out of his house. "Sato Haruki, you are under arrest for being a co-conspirator with Nikumu Moeteiru."

Once ready, they began heading back to the Intelligence Ward. As they walked, they saw Kakashi walking around and reading a book. He looked up when he sensed his daughter and he smiled at her.

"Taylor-chan!" he greeted.

"Hi Daddy!" Taylor returned with a smile.

"Oh? What's this, you arrested Haruki?" he asked.

"Yeah," Taylor nodded. "He's a suspect and Dalzen has the pleasure of interrogating him."

"Oh? Do I get to watch?" he grinned behind his mask.

"Sure, feel free to come along," Ibiki grinned. "We'll get ya a visitor's pass."

"Great! I'd love to watch."

"I bet you would," Ibiki nodded. "Let's hurry on back, then."

"Of course," Kakashi nodded as they continued back with a dismayed Haruki.

...

Once they had gotten Haruki into the interrogation room, Dalzen began while Ibiki, Taylor, Kakashi and Dura watched with interest on the other side of the two-sided mirror. Taylor watched as Dalzen entered, sat down across from Haruki, and began questioning him.

"What do you know about Nikumu Moeteiru?" he asked.

"Who?" Haruki asked. The look in his eyes showed that he actually knew what Dalzen was talking about.

"Don't play dumb with me, you idiot," Dalzen growled. "You have their patch sewn on your sleeve."

Taylor crossed her arms and leaned into Kakashi, "Well, well, well. Looks like Dalzen'll get to put him in a genjutsu."

Kakashi gave an amused smile and wrapped his arms around her gently. After trying for a few minutes to get a straight answer, Dalzen gave up and quickly placed the boy under a genjutsu. He got up and walked out to where they were all waiting.

"I've learned over the years, if you leave someone in a genjutsu long enough, like 5 hours or so depending on the person, you can drive them crazy enough to make them answer you," Dalzen grinned.

"So do we just leave him there?" Taylor asked.

"Yep!" Dalzen gave a curt nod.

"What do we do now?" Dura asked.

"Uhm we can go eat supper or something," Ibiki suggested.

"Well, I'll take Taylor and Dalzen home to eat supper with Dad and Haro—" Kakashi caught himself, realizing Dura was Harou's son. "Oh uhm..."

Dura looked at Kakashi, "Kakashi-kun, did you just say...'Harou'?"

"Uh...n-no, I didn't," Kakashi tried to assure him. "I-I said...Gorou..."

"N-No! You said my father's name!" Dura realized. "Why?"

Kakashi and everyone else in the room exchanged uneasy glances.

"Is there something I need to know?" Dura asked. "Please, tell me guys."

"We didn't want to tell you but...your father is here," Dalzen answered. "Living with Taylor, Sakumo, and I. We're sorta hiding him. At least, we're trying to."

"What? How?!" Dura exclaimed. "Will you take me to see him? Please?"

"Does Harou even know that Dura is alive?" Taylor asked Dalzen.

"I think he'd appreciate seeing Dura though," Dalzen said. "It might just cheer him up."

"Would that mess up the timeline?" Kakashi asked.

"Timeline?" Dura asked. "I mean, I know the Hiiragi in the Beta Wing is from the future but my dad? Is he a victim of the time jutsu too?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Dalzen sighed. "From the past. You're like...7 or 8 when it happened."

Silence fell over them as Dura took in the information he just received. After a few moments, Dalzen scratched the back of his head nervously, unsure if they really should let Dura see his father. He had the right to, but his father wasn't from this time. The genjutsu master put his head in his hands and gave an exasperated sigh.

"Do you want to see your father, Dura?" he asked.

"I-If it's okay with you guys, I really would love to see my father again after thirty years," Dura gave a pleading look.

"Of course," Taylor replied with hesitance.

Dura looked excited, "I'm so glad!"

"Well, I'm gonna go get Hiiragi and then we can go," Taylor said. "I don't want to leave him alone by himself here..."

"Alright, sweetheart," Kakashi kissed her head.

Taylor smiled and went off to the Beta Wing to get Hiiragi and when she got there, he was laying on his back with his knees bent up. The radiation poisoning was upsetting his stomach, so beside him he had a can of gingerale. Hiiragi had his hands on his stomach, trying to will the pain away. He gave a pained cough as Taylor silently stepped into the room and walked over to his cot.

Taylor walked over and now could see his bloodied nose, mainly from the nosebleeds and reusing the same tissue to try to stop it. Taylor pulled out a pack of tissues from her coat pocket and took out a tissue for Hiiragi. She approached his cot and held the tissue over his face, giving a kind smile.

"Hiiragi, do you need a tissue?" she asked gently.

He opened an eye and weakly reached up for the tissue, "T-Thank you, sweetheart." He sat up and made sure to clean his face with it. "What's up?"

"Well, Daddy, Dalzen, and Dura and I are going home to eat supper and come back to finish the interrogation with Haruki," she told him. "I-I didn't want to leave you alone here."

Hiiragi threw his legs over the side of the cot and slowly rose to his feet, "Alright, I'll come with you, then."

"Okay," Taylor looked at him, limping heavily on one side. "Do you need any help walking?"

"No, I'm—" he began coughing heavily and he just about doubled over from coughing so hard. He blinked away pained tears and Taylor got under his arm to help him walk. He looked at her, shocked. "T-Taylor...you don't have to help."

"Yes I do," Taylor responded. "You need my help, Hiira."

"Of course," he sighed. She was always right; he learned that over the years of being her friend and being married to her. "I'm sorry, I'm so weak I can't help it..."

Taylor could only nod at him. Once she got back to Kakashi and everyone else, they all went home to have supper.

...

A very young Ryouma Hatake dashed through the woods, jumping from tree-to-tree, releasing all of that energy he had built up inside of him. He jumped up to the next branch above him and he caught the branch with his hands. At the same time, thunder began rolling in the distance and Ryouma pulled himself up on the branch—or, he at least tried to. The wind quickly picked up and rain began falling not even a few moments before he had started to raise his leg to climb up on the branch. Like the monkey he was, he tried to keep himself in the tree by hugging the branch with his legs.

"Holy crap!" Ryouma cried. "This is one heck of a storm..."

Suddenly, the branch snapped underneath of him and he fell from the top of the tree and suddenly, it wasn't storming anymore. Instead of landing on hard ground, he landed on a thick blanket of freezing-cold, powdery snow. The young Saru-Shin sat up, shivering. Snow, everywhere. But he was just in a thunderstorm! Where did this snow come from? And why was the sun out? And why did it feel like 20 degrees? So many questions flooded the 7-year-old boy's head, but now he knew he had to get home, however far from home he was. Or, at least find shelter from the bitter cold because he didn't have a shirt on!

...

Taylor clung close to Coushander as they walked to the village for a couple of things. Kano was at home with the boys and Dalzen was tagging along to help Coushander. Taylor held both of their hands as they walked.

"Grandpa, can I have paper for art?" Taylor asked.

Coushander looked, "Yeah, sure! Why not?"

Dalzen nodded, "Cou, why don't you go in the art store and I'll watch Taylor?"

"Yeah, that's prolly a good idea," Coushander agreed.

Taylor watched as her great-grandfather rushed off into the art store to get paper. She looked at Dalzen, who simply smiled at her.

"So, Taylor-Chan...how come you don't seem to mind Coushander carrying you? Don't you ever get tired of it?" he asked.

"I like being held," Taylor admitted. "It makes me feel safe and not alone."

"Oh really?" Dalzen asked.

"Yeah," Taylor nodded. "My daddy holds me a lot and I feel protected. Sometimes I get scared being alone so when he holds me, I feel better."

"So why do let Coushander hold you?" Dalzen asked.

"I feel like he protects me too, like Daddy does," Taylor smiled with her childish innocence. "You and Harou-San too."

"Aww you flatter me, child," Dalzen blushed.

Taylor gave a kind smile and hugged him, "You're really nice to me, Dalzen-Sama."

Dalzen blushed even more and was about to speak when they heard a boy nearing them. He looked up and saw that the boy approaching them was Harou's son, Dura. He looked surprised as he saw Taylor, who was wearing his old clothes.

"Hey, aren't you the girl that my dad was talking about last week who needed clothes?" he asked, seeing that they were nearly the same age.

"Who's your dad?" Taylor asked.

"Harou-san is his dad," Dalzen told her. "You know Harou."

She looked up at Dalzen and then back at Dura.

"Oh...I think so, why?" Taylor shrugged. "Why?"

His eyes widened, "You know my dad? Can you tell me about him? Please?!"

"She doesn't really know much about Harou, Dura," Dalzen told him. "Now, I believe that is your mother calling for you."

"Aw..." Dura pouted. "Okay."

Dalzen gestured for Dura to go back to his mother and once he left, Coushander exited the store with a sketchbook for Taylor. He gave it to her and smiled.

"Let's finish up here in the village before it gets dark, alright?" he suggested.

"Okay..." Taylor nodded.

Coushander took her hand again and they continued shopping.

...

By the time they all got to Sakumo's house, Hiiragi was as sick as a puppy, so as soon as they got inside, she laid him on the couch and got him a can of gingerale. She opened it and set it beside him and draped a blanket over him. Hiiragi looked at her, smiling weakly as she made sure that he was comfortable and he opened his mouth slightly to speak to her.

"Thank you so much, Taylor," he thanked with a weak cough. "You're so kind to me...you always were." He reached his right hand up and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, offering her a sad smile. She blushed and stood up.

"No need to thank me, I just do what I feel I have to," she crossed her arms and looked at Kakashi, looking embarrassed. He smiled at her.

"You are so cute!" he teased.

"Shut up," Taylor muttered to him.

"Hey Taylor, go get Harou from my room, would ya?" Dalzen asked. "I've gotta go do something..." By 'something', he meant go to the bathroom.

"Okay," Taylor bowed and headed down the hall to Dalzen's room. Once she was at his room, she knocked on the door gently. "Harou-san, would you come out for a few minutes? Someone would like to see you."

She heard the floor creak and then the doorknob turn as Harou cracked the door open.

"Who?" he asked in a low voice.

"Just come out and you'll see," Taylor smiled.

"Is this a trick?" Harou asked.

"Harou-san, I'd never trick you," Taylor reassured him. "Just...come out, please."

"Fine..." Harou opened the door completely and followed her into the living room. "Seriously, who?"

"Why don't you look in front of you?" Taylor suggested, nodding at Dura as they walked into the living room. Harou looked up and Dura looked shocked to see his father living and breathing right before his eyes. His eyes widened with shock but an excited smile crossed his lips.

"Dad?" he whispered in a cracked voice. "Is that...is that really you?"

"Dura?" Harou gasped in surprise.

"Dad!" Dura exclaimed, running over and hugging Harou tightly.

Harou was startled seeing Dura. His son looked so much older, quite a few years older than Kakashi too. Harou couldn't find the right words to say, but Dura understood and they continued being quiet. Taylor rested her head against Kakashi's chest and smiled contently at Dura and Harou. Kakashi put his arm over her shoulders and he held her close.

"They're so cute," Taylor commented, looking up at her dad and touching his hand. He looked down and smiled with agreement.

"They are," he agreed.

Harou soon returned Dura's hug and then quickly let go. His eyes were serious and his expression turned grim. Dura looked at his father, worried.

"Dad, what's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't think I should be seeing you, Dura," Harou looked down. "As happy as I am to see you, son, I just..." he bowed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Dura. I-I can't..." he turned and ran back to Dalzen's room.

"Dad!" Dura sighed in exasperation.

"Harou-San!" Taylor pouted.

"N-No," Dura smiled assuringly at her. "Don't feel bad, he was always like this."

"Y-Yeah, I think he's just worried," Taylor nodded.

"About the timeline? I think we all are," Dura agreed, glancing at Hiiragi on the couch. Then, he turned back to Taylor and smiled, "Thank you for allowing me to see him, Taylor-San. I really appreciated being able to hug him one last time..."

"Aww, it's nothing, Dura-san," Taylor smiled.

"Well, I'll be on my way, I suppose," Dura bowed. "Thank you again."

"It's not a problem," Taylor blushed.

He turned to Dalzen, "Hey, good luck with Haruki."

"Oh don't worry," Dalzen grinned. "By the end of the night he'll be afraid for his life so he's going to cave in."

"If...you say so," Dura shuddered. He smiled at Taylor and then left. Now was time to have supper, or at least get Sakumo to make supper. Before anyone could wonder where Sakumo was, the back door opened and Sakumo walked inside. When he looked up, he saw them standing in the living room. He put his hands on his waist, looking confused.

"Uhm...did I miss something?" he asked.

"I'll tell you later," Dalzen said.

"Alright..." Sakumo shrugged. "I'm assuming you all would like some supper?"

"Please?" Dalzen asked.

"Yeah, if you couldn't tell," Kakashi stated.

"Kinda hard not to tell," Sakumo sighed. "I'll get started."

"Can I help, Grandpa?" Taylor asked.

"Sure," Sakumo smiled warmly at her. "C'mon, Taylor."

"Okay!" Taylor smiled and headed into the kitchen to help her grandpa cook supper. Dalzen turned to Kakashi and they exchanged amused glances.

"I suppose I should get Harou," he chuckled wryly.

"Yeah, that's prolly a good idea," Kakashi agreed.

Dalzen turned around and walked down to his room to get Harou out. Kakashi glanced down at Hiiragi, who looked absolutely pitiful lying there on the couch, willing the pain away. He looked like he should be left alone, so Kakashi left the living room and went into the kitchen to watch Sakumo and Taylor.

"We have a suspect," Taylor told her grandpa. "Dalzen left him in a genjutsu so we could eat."

"Who's the suspect?" Sakumo asked.

"Haruki," Taylor said plainly.

"Haruki? Oh my, that boy has found trouble..." he sighed softly. "I knew something was off about him. I mean, he seemed like a sweet kid but honestly I thought there was some evil tucked away deep inside him."

"He's psycho," Taylor agreed. "He used to be nice but I think something happened and he went crazy..."

"People change, for better or worse," Sakumo told her. "It's part of life, I'm afraid."

"Yeah..." Taylor agreed.

"Just, unfortunately it had to be Haruki becoming a psycho," Sakumo sighed. "Well, at least Hiiragi is a good friend."

"He is..." Taylor agreed. "I'm surprised someone close to my age even like me."

Sakumo chuckled, "Well, that's not entirely a bad thing, is it?"

"Haha, well not really," Taylor smiled. "It's not entirely bad at all."

Sakumo touched her shoulder as he reached over her for something. Kakashi watched quietly and smiled as they worked together. As much as he wished he had his father as a child, he was happy that Taylor had him more. As much as he hated Sakumo after he committed suicide, years later he came to realize what a good person he really was and Kakashi appreciated him, even if Taylor's real mother brought him back to life and forced him to keep a secret for 17 years.

As Dalzen entered his room, he saw Harou sitting on the floor futon with a book in his hands. It was _Taelzen's Excursion_ and Dalzen felt conflicted. Should he let his friend keep reading that? Dalzen approached cautiously.

"Harou-San..." he sat beside Harou.

"Hey Dalzen, who is Saruhiko Nekai? Did Dura have a son?" Harou asked.

"No," Dalzen took the book from Harou gently. "That's Taylor's penname. And I'm not entirely sure you should be reading this though. It talks sort of about a mission that, in your time, hasn't happened yet."

Harou looked down, "Oh..."

"Do you want to take a quick walk?" Dalzen offered suddenly. "I think it'll be an hour or so before supper is done, perhaps a walk would be a good idea."

"Y-Yeah...sure..." Harou sighed and stood up slowly.

Dalzen stood up as well and gestured at the door, "Well...shall we?"

"I suppose so," Harou sighed and reluctantly followed Dalzen out.

As soon as they got out to the living room, Dalzen slipped his feet into his sandals and Harou took Sakumo's jacket (since Sakumo said he could wear it until he was returned home). Harou slid his feet into his sandals and he looked down at Hiiragi, lying on the couch looking practically dead. His eyes were closed, his breathing was shallow, his face was pale and he was sweating. Hiiragi also was clutching the bear he had the other day to comfort him, since he was sick and he felt really sick. Harou zipped up the jacket and then looked over at Dalzen, who was pretty much ready to leave. Sakumo looked out into the living room, surprised.

"Hey, where are you two going?" he asked.

"Uhm," Harou blushed.

"Well, I was about to tell you that we're going out for a quick walk," Dalzen answered. "Just to clear Harou's mind a bit. Or, well at least try to."

"Oh...well, be safe, Captain," Sakumo nodded.

"Of course," Dalzen nodded and took Harou out for a walk. It was dark outside, snow was still frozen on the ground, clouds covered the sky and it was bitterly cold with an even more bitterly cold wind chill. They walked in silence together and looked around. Dalzen studied the surroundings, making sure they didn't walk into a time hole. Though, who's to say that the time hole was easy to find? Well, since Harou found himself there in the middle of the forest, Dalzen and Harou stayed right on the path that was clear for people to walk on.

It wasn't long before they heard running footsteps. The darkness made it hard to see, but with the light that did peek through from the clouds they could see white hair being illuminated. Then, a pale face. A panicked face. The young man ran right into them, shivering violently from the freezing cold air. Harou caught the boy and was surprised to see his old friend's face. The boy looked right up at Harou, not realizing that was Harou standing before him. His teeth chattered as he tried to speak.

"W-Warmth...I-I n-need t-t-to g-go h-home, I-I'm s-s-s-so c-cold," he whispered with tears streaming down his face. "C-Can...y-you t-t-take m-m-m-me h-home?"

"S-Saru?" Harou asked, shocked to see him.

Ryouma hugged Harou tightly, "I-I'm s-s-so c-c-cold...p-please t-take m-m-me s-someplace I-I c-can w-warm u-up."

Saru's skin was cold, like he'd been out there in the cold for too long.

Harou looked at Dalzen, "Dalzen, I-I think this is Saru!"

"What?" Dalzen gasped.

Harou quickly took off his jacket and wrapped Saru up in it.

"Oh my god, things are getting out of hand..." Harou whispered as he checked Saru's temperature. "God, he's so cold, poor thing. Dalzen, we need to take him back. Now!"

"God, I don't know if there's enough space," Dalzen realized.

"We can't leave Saru out here alone!" Harou reminded in panic, feeling Saru shivering under his arms. "Taylor has room in her room, I've seen her room. Dalzen, you know damn well we can't leave Saru out here alone, especially considering he doesn't have a shirt on!"

"Yeah...I-I suppose we should take him back then," Dalzen agreed. "C'mon, Saru..."

"S-Saru?" Ryouma looked at them. "M-my n-name isn't S-Saru, my n-name's Ryouma. R-Ryouma Hatake."

"R-Right...I-I mean...Ryouma," Dalzen corrected himself. Harou stood up with Saru hugging his arm and together, they took the very young Saru back home to Taylor, Sakumo, Hiiragi, and Kakashi. This was going to be interesting to explain.

.

.


	7. Monkey Heart

**Chapter Seven**

Monkey Heart

.

.

Saru-Shin sneezed into his elbow as Taylor brought over one of her shirts, since none of them were girly and they were all a size small, unlike the rest of the men in the house. While she dressed Saru properly, Sakumo turned up the heat in the house and at the same time, the heater stopped working. He couldn't turn the heat on. Angrily, he slammed his fist into the wall and then banged his head into the wall.

"Uhm, we have a problem!" he called down towards Taylor's room.

"What's the problem?" Taylor asked.

"I need to either fix the heater or buy a new one," Sakumo answered, then looked down the hall in both directions. "I suggest everyone bundle up if you don't want to get cold!"

"Are you serious, Dad?" Kakashi muttered. "I thought I told you to replace the heater back last February?"

"It didn't need to be replaced then," Sakumo responded. "Just needed some fixing, that's all."

"Oh my..." Dalzen looked down the hall at Sakumo. "JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER. Stubborn idiot!"

"Sorry, I just really don't want to replace it," Sakumo sighed. "Guess I may have to."

"I'll help pay for a new one," Kakashi sighed. "But...my father's right. If you don't want to be cold, you better bundle up now. The heater's broke, so within an hour there won't be anymore heat in the house."

"Unless we use the heating blanket," Sakumo said. "But that's Taylor's."

"Looks like we may have to all sleep together tonight," Sakumo looked outside. "Snowing, again."

"Taylor, what's the temperature outside?" Dalzen shouted down towards Taylor's room.

"20 degrees!" Taylor responded. "It's supposed to drop to 10 degrees tonight and the windchill is like 5 degrees."

"Well shit," Dalzen sighed.

"Guess I'm stuck here for tonight," Kakashi said.

"I think all of us are," Sakumo said. "There's no way Dalzen and Taylor can leave to finish their interrogation."

"I need to get a message to Ibiki," Dalzen said. "Tell him to pull Haruki out of the genjutsu no matter what's going on."

"There's no way any animal is going outside in those conditions," Kakashi told Dalzen. "What'd happen if you left Haruki in a genjutsu all night?"

"I don't know, in all honesty," Dalzen admitted. "I'm worried it'd deplete my chakra, but there's no way of knowing what'll happen. I suppose it's okay to let it happen. Just, if I wake up without much energy in the morning don't be surprised..."

"That's fine," Sakumo nodded. "Well, let me get the soup off the stove so we can eat before it gets cold in here."

"Alright," Dalzen nodded.

"Harou, could you bring me..." Taylor looked in her closet. "There should be a hooded jacket in there. Get that for Saru, please. And bring me a sweater if you could...I'm going to be the first one to get really cold..."

"How are you going to be the first one to get cold?" Harou asked, doing as she asked.

"Because, I'm the smallest out of everyone here," Taylor said. "Well, except for...Ryouma...because he's a kid but he'll be under the covers."

Saru looked up at Taylor, "Hey, you look like my little brother."

"Oh?" Taylor pretended to be surprised.

"Except you're prettier than Kousa," Saru grinned.

"Well, I believe that's because he's a boy," Taylor winked. "Boys are cute and girls are pretty."

"Boys can be pretty," Saru pointed out.

"Well...yeah..." Taylor agreed. "But most boys are just cute. Like Harou-san. He's cute."

Harou's face turned red as he approached her, "T-Taylor-san?"

Taylor smiled at Harou, "It doesn't mean anything, Harou." She took the hoodie and put Saru in it.

"Yeah, just like telling Dalzen that he was handsome meant nothing?" Harou poked fun at her.

Taylor's face turned completely red with embarrassment as she tried to zip the jacket.

"I-It m-meant absolutely n-n-nothing!" Taylor stammered. "Harou! How could you?! And did Dalzen seriously tell you about that?"

"Yes, he did," Harou nodded, handing her the sweater. "He even told me about the kiss."

"Th-Th-The kiss?" Taylor panicked. "That wasn't even my own doing! Dalzen was seriously sick and delirious!"

Harou chuckled at Taylor's expression. Easily embarrassed, just like Coushander. And Dalzen too, now that he thought about it. Dalzen could be embarrassed without trying.

"Ew, you kissed someone?" Saru made a disgusted face. "Kissing is gross!"

"Aww," Taylor awed. "You're right, it totally is! Kissing is gross."

"Why'd you kiss him, then?" Saru asked.

"I didn't kiss him, he kissed me," Taylor told him, finally putting her sweater on over her head.

"Oh..." Saru nodded.

Harou sighed as Taylor stood up, turned to Saru still. She gave a kind and gentle smile and rubbed his hair.

"Are you hungry at all, Monkey Heart?" she asked. "My grandpa is making dinner."

Saru shook his head slowly, "N-No, I'm too cold..."

"Alright," Taylor nodded and then turned to Harou. "Well, let's go on and get supper before it gets cold in the house."

"Okay," Harou nodded in agreement and reluctantly followed her out of her room. He turned his head and paused before he left her room to get a glance at Saru. Saru was curled up in a tight ball in Taylor's bed and the elder Harou looked sad as he remembered that there wasn't much time before Saru would run away to go to the academy. He knew that would be very soon. Not yet, as Saru didn't even recognize Harou. He figured that there would be some sort of resemblance to how he looked when he was that age. Though, perhaps it's because his hair is lighter than it used to be. Harou shook his head. He and Saru hadn't met at that point, judging by Saru's obliviousness to him. Feeling a little heart-broken, even knowing he and Saru hadn't met yet in that timeline, he left to go have supper with everyone else.

...

Coushander sat Taylor down at the table and allowed her to draw quietly in peace. When Kakashi entered the kitchen, Coushander flashed him a warning glare. The look of protection on his face made Kakashi back away a bit with a look of fear.

"I-I was just going to get water..." he stammered.

"That better be all you're doing," Coushander grumbled.

"I-I swear," Kakashi swore as he walked past Taylor to get a glass of water. Coushander shook his head, "Wrong cabinet."

"Which one?"

"The one to your left."

When Coushander looked down at his granddaughter, she was drawing quietly and not worrying about what's going on around her. He wondered when she would realize that it'll be a while before she will get to see her father again. Then, he wondered if and when they'd see Harou again. Harou's been missing for over two weeks now, something wasn't right. He must've fallen into a time jutsu trap like Taylor did. It was beginning to worry the elder Hatake.

He sighed as he thought about it, but realized there wasn't anything anyone there could do. He would just have to help out to the best of his ability with having to feed the children and keeping them safe.

...

In the middle of the night, Taylor was curled up in her bed and Saru was sleeping on the floor in a traditional-style bed...of sorts. Suddenly, Taylor woke up to a hand shaking her awake. A small hand, and when she opened her eyes, her chibi uncle Saru was standing beside her bed. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up, leaning against her arm.

"Yes, Ryouma?" she asked in a fatigue-heavy voice. "What's the matter?"

"Can I sleep in your bed with you?" he asked in a sheepish voice. "I-I'm really cold and my tummy hurts."

Taylor scooted over towards the wall and helped Saru into her bed, "You going to be alright?"

"Mhm," he nodded.

"Alright," Taylor had him lie down beside her and she lied back down. Without thinking, she reached for his hand and held it. She wished he was the older Saru, but either which way, he wouldn't have known her because he was pretty young when he died. She only knew him as a ghost, nothing more. She didn't even know him alive. She sighed and passed out in her bed with her uncle as a child.

...

When everyone woke up the next morning, Dalzen took the elder Hiiragi to Intel and waited for Taylor to shower and eat and make sure Saru was okay. Kakashi left to get back home to Yuugao, not before he gave Taylor kisses, of course. Once he'd left, Taylor began eating her breakfast with Sakumo, Harou, and Saru. Their breakfast consisted of cereal with bananas cut up, orange juice, and toast. Sakumo finished first, so he began packing Taylor and Dalzen a bento for lunch later on when they're on break at Intel.

Just as Taylor had finished eating, there was a knock at the door. She looked at Harou and Saru, surprised to hear a knock on the door. Harou glared at the door, uneasy about who could possibly be behind the door and Saru just shrugged and kept eating. Knowing Sakumo was busy and Harou wouldn't talk to anyone that wasn't Hatake, Dalzen, Ibiki or the elder Hiiragi, Taylor stood up and walked towards the front door, shivering a little because she had gotten up out of her nice and warm spot at the table.

Wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm, she awkwardly opened the front door and was surprised to see who it was. She blinked in disbelief at seeing the younger Hiiragi. Then, her heart raced as she hoped he hadn't run into Dalzen and his older self. A feeling of anxious nausea, or at least that's what she thought, fell over her but she tried to pretend she was perfectly okay. Hiiragi smiled gently at her.

"Good morning, Taylor!" he greeted.

"G-Good morning..." Taylor trailed off awkwardly.

"What's been going on?" Hiiragi wondered. "Haven't seen you around, and when I do see you, you're running around with Grandpa and Dad."

"Lots of stuff's been going on..." Taylor, again, trailed off awkwardly. Hiiragi studied her, dubious.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked. "You don't look well."

Taylor sniffled, "I'm fine, just cold. Grandpa forgot to replace the heater, so it's cold inside."

"Well, what about your face? You look like you're sick," Hiiragi reached over and touched her forehead.

"I'm fine," Taylor jerked away from him.

Hiiragi withdrew his hand, looking down and scratching behind his head. Taylor looked down as well, embarrassed.

"I-I've gotta get ready for work," she said.

"Can I walk you to Intel?" Hiiragi asked with a pleading look in his heterochromic eyes. Taylor blushed and when she looked over her shoulder at Sakumo, he nodded.

"It's better if you don't go out alone," he told her. "You never know these days..."

"I-I suppose," Taylor blushed, looking back. "Uh...come inside. I've gotta get ready..."

"Of course," Hiiragi nodded and went to take his snow boots off but Taylor stopped him.

"Keep your snow boots on," she told him. "You're not going to get in trouble because it's really cold in here." She gestured at her feet, "I'm wearing my snow boots."

"O-Oh...okay..." Hiiragi nodded and followed Taylor into the house, looking around. Sakumo was now back in the kitchen, finishing the bento boxes and Harou had just stood up to take his and Saru's bowls to the sink. Taylor rushed into the kitchen and put her bowl in the sink as well, then rushed to her room for her Intel garb. When she came back out, she looked ready for investigating. She had her hands shoved in her pockets and her face buried in her scarf. Sakumo gave her the bentos, which were tucked away into her messenger bag. He helped put the strap over her shoulder and smiled.

"Well, good luck," he told her.

"Thank you, Grandpa," Taylor responded, though the nausea in her stomach got worse. "I'll be back with them later tonight...hopefully before dinner." She glared, "And make sure you get the heater fixed too."

"I will," Sakumo blushed.

"Harou-san, would you make sure Grandpa gets the heater fixed or replaced?" Taylor asked.

"Of course," Harou nodded.

Taylor looked at Saru, "And you! You behave yourself."

"I will," Saru gave a mischievous smile.

"I hope so," Taylor gave a heavy sigh and left with Hiiragi.

...

When Dalzen and the elder Hiiragi arrived, they were surprised to see Inoichi and Ibiki standing in front of the interrogation room, both looking serious. Dalzen crossed his arms, looking confused and he looked at Hiiragi, who shrugged.

"What happened?" Dalzen asked them when he looked back.

"Is Taylor coming?" Ibiki asked in a gruff voice, almost like he was just woken up and not yet had coffee, or time to adjust to being awake before being forced to work.

"Uh yeah, why?" Hiiragi asked.

"Do not let her inside," Inoichi told them. "Dalzen, you need to take Taylor somewhere else."

"Why?" Dalzen asked.

"Uhm, well, your genjutsu thing prolly went overboard," Ibiki told him. "Or not. But we have to clean up a nice little mess!"

"A mess?" Dalzen asked, looking surprised and confused. "What kind of mess?"

"The kind that would make Taylor throw up and leave her really scared and scarred for life," Inoichi told him, beating around the bush to avoid saying it. What happened grossed him out. Not enough to scar him like it would Taylor, but it was gross enough.

"Huh?" Dalzen blinked with disbelief. "You don't mean...? I can only think of one thing that would make her throw up and be scarred for life like that..."

Inoichi nodded, "Yeah...his head...y'know... Well, have a look for yourself, Dalzen."

Ibiki pushed the door to the room open and Dalzen took a peek inside. The room was covered in blood, pieces of skull, skin, and possibly some bloodied hair. Then, he looked down and saw the body, which was headless and lying in a puddle of blood. Dalzen's stomach churned and he looked back at Ibiki.

"But how?!" Dalzen exclaimed. "Genjutsu is just illusions! It can't do anything else except drive a person insane."

"We don't know, but you have to keep Taylor away because it may not have been your genjutsu," Ibiki told him. "I reviewed some of the security tapes last night...I think Nikumu Moeteiru is getting bolder."

"Why?" Hiiragi wondered. Before Inoichi could answer, they heard Taylor behind them. Inoichi quickly shut the door and blocked the way. He wanted to help keep Taylor from having nightmares.

"Oh shit, go take Taylor out!" Ibiki told him. "I'll help get her out. Hiiragi, you stay here and help Inoichi."

"Wait, why?!" Hiiragi asked. "I'm not—"

Before he could finish, Ibiki and Dalzen had turned and started pushing Taylor out of Intel. He saw her looking confused as they blocked her way.

"Wh-What's going on?" Taylor asked in a sheepish voice.

"You do not want to stay here, not until Inoichi comes to get us," Ibiki told her.

"Let's go to the bookstore, or something," Dalzen suggested quickly.

"Wh-What's going on?" Taylor asked.

"Don't ask, let's just go to the bookstore," Ibiki told her, grabbing her hand. "You can sign some of your books there today."

"But..."

"Taylor, trust me, you do not want to know," Dalzen led them out.

"What about Haruki?" Taylor's heart raced.

"He's dead," Ibiki told her. "Like...dead dead. Really dead. Too dead to be resurrected."

"What do you mean?" Taylor asked.

"We aren't going to tell you anything else," Dalzen told her. "Let's go. You and I."

"Mh—" Taylor gave a muffled protest as Dalzen covered her mouth with his hand as he led her out forcefully. Ibiki gave a sigh of relief. Hopefully they just saved Taylor from emotional trauma. _Kakashi can thank us later_ , Ibiki sighed as he went back into the Intel Ward.

Dalzen held Taylor close as he walked, looking around to make sure no one was acting suspiciously or eyeing Taylor.

"Dalzen, what is going on?!" Taylor demanded.

"If I tell you, you are not going to sleep well for the next month," Dalzen stopped and crouched down on one knee to look at her straight, holding her arms. "Please, just trust me on this. You do not want to know what happened. Basically put, something happened and Haruki is dead. Ibiki is going to go through security tapes and once he figures out what happened, they are going to be deleted and you will not be able to access them to see what happened. Alright? I'm not telling you anything more than that!"

"Oh..." Taylor gave up quickly. She knew he was serious, and he wasn't about to relent.

"Trust me, you'll thank me later," Dalzen hugged her gently.

After a few moments, he let go and went to stand up. Before he could stand, he saw something flung right at Taylor and before either of them could react, it embedded itself into her arm and she gave a pained cry, clutching Dalzen's jacket. Dalzen looked around frantically, trying to figure out where it came from. _Where did that come from? Who the hell threw that?!_ Taylor's arm began bleeding and Dalzen panicked. Something was going on, and someone was targeting Taylor.

"I-I gotta get you to..." he looked around. What was the closest place? Soon, he saw the younger Hiiragi walking towards a house and he knew exactly what had to be done. "Hiiragi!"

Hiiragi turned his head, confused. Over ten meters away was Dalzen and Taylor, standing there looking confused. Then, he noticed a kunai embedded in Taylor's arm and he immediately took off running towards them.

"Taylor!" he exclaimed as he ran.

Dalzen rushed over with Taylor clinging to him, trying to keep herself standing. Hiiragi was shocked.

"What happened?" Hiiragi asked.

"Is that your house?" Dalzen asked.

"W-Why yes, it is," Hiiragi nodded. "I just rented it about two weeks ago..."

"Take Taylor inside," Dalzen told him. "Keep her inside and help heal her. Someone is attacking her, you've gotta keep her safe."

"O-Of course," Hiiragi agreed. "I'll definitely help out. Wh-What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to find that son of a bitch," Dalzen told him. "And fight him."

"Dalzen, I-I'm fine," Taylor told him.

"No, you need Hiiragi to look at that," Dalzen told her. "You don't know if that kunai's been poisoned. Just go, take her!"

"D-Dalzen!" Taylor exclaimed as Hiiragi took her by her good arm and dragged her towards his house.

Dalzen smiled, "Hey don't worry. You'll get to show off later."

Taylor pouted as Hiiragi dragged her up the steps of his house and unlocked the door. Quickly, he ushered her inside and closed the door behind him. He sat her down on his couch quickly and then closed his curtains.

"Lie down," he told her.

"Hiira—"

"Please," he pleaded. "You're sweating and looking pale so I'm thinking that kunai might be poisoned. I have to take the poison out of you before it can kill you."

"O-Okay..." Taylor looked down.

"Trust me, I'm a doctor," Hiiragi gave a playful wink and rushed off to get a bucket for the poison he was going to pull out of her system, a damp washcloth to keep her temperature down, bandages to wrap her arm up with once he was done, and a glass of water in case she got thirsty. When he returned with everything, he crouched down and helped Taylor out of her trench coat. He was careful to get the sleeve over the knife before pulling it off of her.

"I can get that to someone to patch it up," he assured her. "Don't worry."

"Please, just get the damn knife out of my arm," Taylor winced.

"Of course." He set the coat down beside him and pulled the knife out of Taylor's arm quickly so she wouldn't feel the pain. She grunted and Hiiragi put the damp washcloth on her forehead. "Your temperature may rise so the damp cloth is to keep it down, or at least try to."

Hiiragi quickly healed her arm and then he held his hands over her chest. Taylor's vision grew blurry and her mind started spinning. She closed her eyes tightly, not sure how to react.

"You getting delirious?" Hiiragi asked gently.

Taylor nodded.

"Just hang tight for me," Hiiragi told her. "Give me a few minutes and you'll be feeling better."

"Mh," Taylor moaned softly.

...

Dalzen looked around, frowning.

"Who's the moron who decided hurting an innocent girl is okay?" he muttered angrily under his breath.

"An innocent girl?" came a mocking voice from behind.

Dalzen turned and faced where he heard the voice. The voice came from a woman with bright red hair and wore bright red lipstick. Her eyes were green and she wore an unfamiliar uniform. Dalzen touched his shuriken holster on his thigh and reached inside.

"I wouldn't, if I were you," the woman glared.

"What're you gonna do?" Dalzen glowered. "You gonna poison me like you did to my niece?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know," the woman smirked. "You don't look related at all."

"That's because we're not related," Dalzen hissed.

"Where's the girl?!" the woman asked.

"She's someplace safe!" Dalzen growled. "If you want to find her, you're going to have to get through me first!"

"Playing hard to get?" the woman asked in a mocking voice. "Well then, I suppose I'll have to keep pushing!" She did a few handsigns and caused the snow to be blown in Dalzen's direction like a blizzard.

Dalzen did a few handsigns himself and he breathed out fire at her, melting the snow. He jumped back and waited for the woman to make another move. Meanwhile, Hiiragi could hear the commotion outside of his house, but he wouldn't open the curtains to see what his great-grandpa was doing. Taylor groaned.

"Dalzen..." she murmured.

"I'm sure Grandpa is fine," Hiiragi assured her. "Just, stay calm and keep still for me." Suddenly, they felt some sort of earthquake, which was coming from Dalzen slamming his hand into the ground to cause earth to come up and hit his opponent. Hiiragi looked at the window, not willing to open the curtains. He took the poison out of Taylor's body and allowed it to drip into the bucket. He did the jutsu again to remove more. "Alright, just hang on...I've gotta do this two more times."

Taylor nodded and he gathered up more of the poison. When he had pulled away to drip the poison into the bucket again, Taylor sat up quickly and grabbed Hiiragi by his face and she kissed him. The rest of the poison dropped from his chakra as it dissipated out of surprise. Hiiragi was startled, but he felt drawn in to return the kiss.

Dalzen slammed the woman into the ground and held her there while she bled.

"I will let you go, only if you promise to leave this village," Dalzen growled angrily. "And leave my niece alone..."

"Fine, fine!" the woman yelled. "Fine!"

Dalzen stood up and the woman stood as well.

"Leave."

"I will get you, you rat bastard!"

Dalzen glowered at the woman as she quickly left. That's when it hit him.

"Fucking hell...she was a member of Nikumu Moeteiru..." he cursed. "I should've arrested her ass!" Sighing, he ran off to what was Hiiragi's house and he knocked. Hiiragi was still kissing Taylor and Dalzen opened the front door without thinking. When he walked in, he stumbled upon the young future couple making out. Dalzen looked shocked. Who kissed who, and why? He was stunned. "O-Oh uhm..."

Hiiragi gasped and let go of Taylor quickly, who fell back on the couch. He looked at his grandfather, horrified that he had seen that.

"I-I didn't kiss her!" he exclaimed. "Sh-She kissed me!"

"Looked...like you were...enjoying it," Dalzen gave an embarrassed attempt at a joke.

Hiiragi's face turned completely red, "I-I was...wasn't I?"

"You love her," Dalzen stated, almost giving him a stern, fatherly look of almost disapproval, but at the same time he approved of it. After all, Hiiragi's future self really truly loved Taylor.

"I-I do...?" Hiiragi blinked in disbelief.

"It's okay." Dalzen closed the door and sat down at the end of the couch so he wasn't sitting on Taylor. He looked down and sighed.

"Is she okay?" he asked to quickly change the subject.

"She's fine," Hiiragi looked down. "Gotta pull out the last of the poison, but before I could she kissed me." He held his hands over her chest again, "S-So, Grandpa Dalzen...what is going on? Who attacked Taylor?"

"It's a long...long story..." Dalzen looked up at the ceiling. It wasn't even 1 in the afternoon and so much shit had already gone down. He rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Nothing like a gruesome sight to start your day, then of course you have to escort your friend's great-granddaughter away before she can see...then she gets a kunai embedded in her arm with poison...and then I saw my great-grandson and her making out. Ah, what else could possibly go awry?"

Hiiragi looked at him, "A gruesome sight?"

"I can't say," Dalzen told him. "Well, not in front of Taylor. Come closer and I'll whisper it."

Hiiragi moved closer to his great-grandfather and Dalzen leaned in, cupped his hand against his face to keep the sound away from Taylor as he whispered what happened to Hiiragi. His eyes grew wide.

"EW! That's disgusting!" Hiiragi gave a look of horror.

"As I said, it was a gruesome sight," Dalzen agreed.

"Gruesome? Man, that is plain disgusting," Hiiragi gagged.

"Gruesome and disgusting," Dalzen shrugged. "Not sure how it happened yet, that's what Ibiki is going to find out. After he and Inoichi clean it up..."

Taylor groaned softly and Hiiragi panicked, "Oh shit, I need to get the last of the poison out. Give me a second."

He went back to what he was originally going to do and he pulled the rest of the poison out of Taylor. Once he got the rest of it out, he dropped it into the bucket and then took it to the kitchen to dump down the drain. It was less than a pint of poison, but that pint would've killed Taylor considering how petite she was. He gave a soft sigh and looked at Dalzen.

"She may be out for a while," he told his great-grandfather, wiping sweat from his forehead. "She'll be fine." He smiled, "Would you like anything to drink? I've got fruit water, orange juice, ginger ale, and of course plenty of water."

"Water is fine..." Dalzen told him.

"Okay," Hiiragi grabbed a glass and filled it with water. "So, were you taking her anywhere in particular to keep her away from...well, the gruesome sight?"

"I was taking her to the bookstore," Dalzen answered as his great-grandson brought him the glass of water. "Your father figured to let her sign her books for readers and keep her preoccupied to avoid telling her what happened. Kakashi and Sakumo can thank Ibiki and I later..."

Hiiragi offered the glass of water and Dalzen took it gently.

"We can stay here for a few hours, I don't mind," Dalzen told him. "Sakumo's gotta get the heater replaced right now, anyway."

He looked to Taylor, who was now passed out, "So how come she's passed out?"

"Well, if you had poison taken out of your body by a medical ninja, you'd be passed out too," Hiiragi told him. "Well, the poison might've made her pass out. She was already delirious and feverish by the time I'd started. I'm guessing she passed out after we'd stopped kissing." Blush colored his pale cheeks.

Dalzen sighed heavily. He should've paid more attention to his surroundings rather than kneel down to comfort Taylor. He sipped his water and sighed as he thought. He glanced to the side and thought, _what a mess this whole thing is!_

"So, want to tell me what's going on?" Hiiragi asked. "I-If it's okay for you to tell me."

"Nah, I'll tell you," Dalzen told him. When he told the story, he made sure to not mention the elder Hiiragi by name.

...

The young Kakashi and Naruto were in their room in Coushander's house trying to make sense of whatever is going on when they heard a knock at the front door. Naruto peeked out the window and Kakashi looked too. They saw a strange person there, not sure who he was. He wore a metal mask over his face, wearing armor of sorts. Neither one recognized the armor, and they looked at each other, confused.

"They don't look like they're from this time," Naruto whispered. "They look kinda scary. I don't think old man Coushander is the kind of person to meddle in the affairs of people like those dudes."

"I concur," the younger Kakashi nodded. "I don't think he would either...something's not right here."

Suddenly, they heard the front door open and they heard Taylor's voice. Both of them panicked. Where was Coushander?! They both got up and rushed to the living room to make sure Taylor would be okay. When they got there, they saw Taylor talking to the big and scary men and their breaths caught in their throats.

"Are you Taylor Hatake?" the first man asked, his voice low and serious.

"Uhuh," Taylor nodded.

"I don't trust this," Kakashi muttered.

"I don't either," Naruto agreed.

Both shinobi hid behind the wall to avoid being noticed. The man crouched down in front of Taylor and offered a hand and Naruto held his breath, then looked around anxiously.

"Where is Coushander?" he whispered in a harsh voice.

"Why don't you come with us, young lady?" the man asked.

Taylor stared at the man hidden behind metal and stepped back, "Daddy told me not to talk to strangers or go with them."

"What's ever stopped you?" the man asked, talking about the older Taylor.

Taylor stared at him still and when she backed up even more, she tripped and fell on her butt, "Uh...uh...GRANDPA!"

"Now, idiot!" Kakashi pushed Naruto out from behind the wall and joined him.

"Hey!" Naruto grunted, then looked over at the men standing in front of the door, Taylor sitting on the floor, staring up in fear of the men. "Oh man..." He and Kakashi stood in defense and glared at the men.

"What do you want with the girl?" Kakashi growled at them.

"Taylor, come here and we'll defend you," Naruto told her.

Before she could stand up and scramble over to Naruto and Kakashi, the first man grabbed her foot and dragged her towards them. Tears started forming in her eyes, out of confusion and fear.

"What's going on?" came Coushander's tired voice. Both boys turned and saw Coushander entering the living room. When he looked up, he was shocked to see the men and they had Taylor in their metal arms. He panicked, "What's going on?!"

"We're here to take Taylor away," the first man growled. "She's a danger to everyone."

"No she isn't!" Coushander defended.

"In the future, she's a danger," the second man growled.

"Who are you to come here and demand my granddaughter, huh?" Coushander glowered. "If you so much as hurt a single hair on her head, I will kill you myself!"

Taylor immediately started trying to escape the man's grasp.

"Let go of me!" she cried. "Grandpa!"

"It's going to be okay, Taylor-kun!" Naruto assured her.

"Don't move too much," Kakashi warned.

The man hugged Taylor tightly, "'Who are you?' you ask? We are Nikumu Moeteiru." He pulled off his mask and he looked like an elf, almost. Just the way his face was shaped, it reminded Coushander of the elves Taylor drew. Thin faces, slender bodies. This guy looked like he had eyeshadow, or at the very least his eyes were shadowed. The second guy also pulled off his mask and he looked sorta like the first man. "I am Aono Yosuke, and he's Kobayashi Mitsuho." A smirk crossed the face of the first man, "Mr. Kobayashi is Taylor's elder brother."

.

.


	8. She Needs Protection

**Chapter Eight**

She Needs Protection

.

.

Everyone gasped and looked at Taylor, expecting her to know who they were talking about. She just looked up, confused. Coushander realized just then that she didn't know she had a brother. And considering how much older he looked, he doubted the elder Taylor knew about him. He knew if she had a brother, he would've seen him when Kakashi and Sakumo came to her rescue several months before. When he studied the second man, Mitsuho, he was confused because he didn't look anything like Taylor, except the blue eyes. He had brown hair, a small nose like hers, thin lips, and a rounded face...like hers. But he didn't have any sort of Hatake features. He looked nothing like Kakashi. Did they have different fathers, perhaps?

Naruto swallowed hard, and Kakashi was stunned.

"I HAVE TWO KIDS IN THE FUTURE?!" he exclaimed.

"I'm not yours," Mitsuho glared. "I'm her half-brother."

"What are you doing here trying to kidnap Taylor if she's your sister?" Naruto asked, a feeling of anger pulsing through his veins.

"She's dangerous, she must be killed," Mitsuho answered with a monotone voice.

"She is just a little girl!" Coushander exclaimed.

" _Just_ a little girl?" Yosuke asked. "You haven't met her older self."

"And I doubt you've met her," Coushander shot him a glare. "She wouldn't purposely endanger anyone unless she had no other choice."

"Yeah!" Naruto agreed. "She's a really nice person. She's like her dad—"

"That's the problem," Mitsuho drew his lips back in a snarl. "She's _exactly_ like Kakashi, if not more powerful."

Taylor started crying from the tension in the room and how she was being held.

"Grandpa..." she cried.

Naruto looked at Coushander, hoping he knew how to fight. He didn't look like much of a fighter, but he had to know something. Coushander clenched both of his hands and got ready to tackle the men down to the ground. He was not about to let them leave with _his_ great-granddaughter. And he was not about to let them get away with making her cry!

"Well, if you would be so kind as to let us go—" Mitsuho was interrupted

Taylor's chakra manifested itself into a lightning charge that would make them let go of her. Lightning surrounded her body and electrocuted Yosuke, who dropped her on the ground unwittingly and she darted to Coushander. Mitsuho gasped at Yosuke and reached forward to grab at Taylor's ankle but he couldn't get her before she was already in Coushander's arms. The elder Hatake held her and glared at the men.

"You aren't escaping that easily," Mitsuho growled.

Taylor hugged Coushander and that's when Naruto and Kakashi took charge of the situation. Kakashi charged in with chidori and Naruto charged in with a wind jutsu. Coushander held onto Taylor tightly and lovingly, trying to calm her down. Mitsuho quickly put his mask on, then put Yosuke's mask over his face and quickly disappeared into thin air with his friend. Naruto and Kakashi stopped, looking confused.

"He just disappeared?" Naruto asked.

"Ha, such cowards!" Kakashi sneered.

Naruto turned and rushed over to Taylor and Coushander. Cou was on the floor, holding Taylor as he tried not to cry. He could've just lost her, had she not struck Yosuke with lightning chakra.

"Coushander, are you okay?" Naruto asked.

He sniffled and nodded, "Just...glad she hurt them before they could run off with her..."

"I don't think it's safe here," Kakashi told him. "Is there any other place she could stay?"

"I-I don't want to give her up..." Coushander looked up, looking worried.

"What about Dalzen?" Naruto wondered.

"He's got two kids already," Coushander told them. "If I give Taylor to someone, I don't want to keep either of you."

"Coushander, what's going on?" came a voice. When they looked up, Dalzen was running up the steps of the porch and standing in the doorway. Coushander stood up, shocked that Dalzen was there.

"Dalzen..."

"I just saw two guys in metal armor disappear from the porch," he said. "What is going on?!"

Coushander walked towards the couch and grabbed Taylor's bear to give to her to calm her down. He didn't want to talk, he just wanted to calm down Taylor and try to pretend that everyone was safe.

"Coushander, if someone attacked you—"

"They didn't attack me, they attacked Taylor," Coushander snapped. "They wanted to kill her!"

Dalzen stepped back, shocked.

"Wh-Why would anyone want to kill her?" he asked. "She's just a little kid!"

"Because, she's supposedly dangerous," Coushander held her comfortingly and sat down on the couch with her. "She scared them off by electrocuting the one that was holding her...she's scared, though."

"If you need me to, I can take her home and Hina and I can take care of her until it's safe for her to return," Dalzen offered quietly, knowing he was going to be pissy about having to let go of his granddaughter.

Coushander glared and Dalzen glared back.

"Coushander, you need to take into consideration that they may come back for her," he told him. "What if she's sick again and can't use a lightning jutsu to free her way out? Naruto and Kakashi may not be able to help, and you can't fight very well. You can't put yourself into that kind of situation..."

"Dalzen, I-I don't want to let go of her," Coushander felt tears forming in his eyes.

"Please..." Dalzen held his arms out to take Taylor from him. "Hina and I will keep her safe. Teal and Hoshi will be okay having her there if they know it's for her own good."

"Please don't leave me with Kakashi and Naruto," Coushander kept holding Taylor.

"I have to," Dalzen told him. "If you really want to, you can come over as often as you want for Taylor and just hang out there. I'm sure Kano can deal with the boys."

Coushander's strength faded a bit as he kept holding her, and he couldn't hold her as tightly as he wanted. Dalzen noticed and took advantage of it. He bent down and took Taylor from Coushander, and Coushander looked as helpless as ever. She was the only person who really made him happy, besides Kano. He couldn't bear to lose Taylor, not right now. Taylor rested her head against Dalzen, looking confused.

"I promise that if Sakumo comes looking for her, I will get you so you can see her one last time before he takes her home," Dalzen promised. "But, I can't let you endanger yourself like this, Coushander. Allow me to help out...if you keep her here, there's a chance they'll come back here and hurt you. If you don't have her, then they'll have to search for her. I live in the village, I'll be able to gather back up faster than you could. Please..."

Coushander looked highly upset, but he realized Dalzen had a point. If anything were to happen, Dalzen would be able to protect Taylor better than Coushander could. Tears streamed down his face.

"If you could bring me her clothes..." Dalzen said in a quiet voice. "I'll take her home."

Coushander stood up, whimpering a little as he left to get Taylor's clothes from her room. Taylor looked up at Dalzen as he set her down on her feet.

"A-Are you taking me away?" she asked in a quiet and worried voice.

"You'll still get to see Coushander," Dalzen assured her. "Just...you won't be here..."

"Okay..." Taylor looked down sadly.

Coushander returned with Taylor's clothes and her sketchbook and colored pencils and gave them to Dalzen.

"Will she have her own room?" Coushander asked.

"Well, no..." Dalzen looked to the side awkwardly. "I might have a futon I could set up in Hoshi's room so she's not alone. I don't think there's enough room in my and Hina's bed for her, and I think it might be better for her to be in Hoshi's room. She'll be fine, Coushander..."

"Fine..." Coushander frowned.

Dalzen reached down and took Taylor by her hand and she reached her other hand to Coushander.

"Grandpa, I can have hugs?" she asked in a sheepish voice.

Coushander gave a sad smile and nodded, "Of course, sweetheart." He bent down and gave her a gentle hug. When Taylor let go, Coushander let go and Dalzen led Taylor out from Coushander's home. He didn't want to, but he had to if he wanted to keep her safe. Sighing, he closed the door behind them and led Taylor to the village.

...

Taylor woke up and sat up as fast as she could, sweat dripping from her face and looking awfully scared. Dalzen and Hiiragi both looked at her, confused. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and took off her shirt so she could cool down.

"Are you okay?" Hiiragi asked her with a worried look.

"No," Taylor shuddered. "I think I know someone else from Nikumu Moeteiru..."

"What?" Dalzen asked, surprised. "Oh no, you don't mean those two men that disappeared before I got to Coushander's house, do you?"

"One of the men..." Taylor looked panicked. "One of the men...was my half-brother...who's _dead_."

"Mitsuho?" Dalzen asked.

"You have a half-brother?" Hiiragi asked her.

"I didn't know until over a year ago that I had a brother..." Taylor tried to calm down but then tears formed in her eyes. "I...I don't talk about it because he was killed...because of me..."

"It wasn't your fault," Dalzen pointed out. "Anyway...why do you think he's a member?"

"Because..." Taylor searched her memories. "He looked almost like he was being used as a puppet. I don't think it's of his own will. That's what a lot of the resurrection jutsu is, except the one from my family but that's a kekkei genkai..." Tears formed in her eyes. "Uncle Dalzen...why would they do this to me? Why would they use my brother against me?"

"I don't know, Taylor..." Dalzen gestured for her to lie against him and cry if she needed to.

Hiiragi looked pretty sad for her too as she lied against Dalzen and began crying from frustration. Dalzen hugged her and tried to comfort her to the best of the elder Morino's ability.

"G-Grandpa?" Hiiragi asked. "I-Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, I'm afraid there isn't much you can do," Dalzen told him sadly. He looked at the time: it was 3 in the afternoon. "I think it may be time...no..." he shook his head. "I don't think it'll be safe for her to live with Sakumo while Nikumu Moeteiru is out to get her."

"She can stay with me," Hiiragi offered.

"No, she needs to stay with Kakashi and Yuugao," Dalzen told him. "I'll take her there and go get her things from Sakumo. Actually, I can use...no I can't, nevermind. Hoshu is prolly dead..." He sighed.

"How about I take her to Kakashi and Yuugao?" Hiiragi offered. "You can get her things from Sakumo and I'll take her to Kakashi and Yuugao."

"Yeah..." Dalzen agreed. "That's a good idea."

Taylor lifted her head and wiped away a frustrated tear and Dalzen looked at her.

"Is there anything you need besides clothes from Sakumo's house?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Tomo-kun?" Taylor asked. "And Samuel—my bear. No wait, Samuel's at Daddy's house... I left him there for when I stay there... Tomo-kun, my art stuff...I need my katana."

"Which one?" Dalzen asked.

"Coushander's," Taylor answered. "Black one."

"Anything else?"

"My _Witcher_ books so I can read," Taylor said. "And the notebook off of my desk..."

"Okay," Dalzen nodded. "I will get that for you."

"There should be an old backpack in my closet, if you would use that," Taylor told him.

"Of course," Dalzen nodded. "Can you stand up?"

"Y-Yeah...I think so," Taylor wiped her face on the sleeve of her shirt as she stood up clumsily. Hiiragi stood up as well and gathered her jacket, which still had a hole in it. He offered it to her and she took it.

"You might want that cleaned first," Hiiragi told her. "It's wet...and dirty...and poison could still be on it..."

"Okay..." Taylor took the jacket from him but didn't put it on.

Dalzen took her Intel shirt and balled it up, looking at her. "I'll get you a new one and I can take your trenchcoat to get patched up."

"Okay..." Taylor gave him her trenchcoat and Hiiragi dashed off to his room to grab her a sweater. When Hiiragi came back, he gave her his old sweater and she put it on.

"Hiiragi, when you get to Kakashi and Yuugao's house, tell them that Taylor isn't safe with Sakumo until we get the whole mess with Nikumu Moeteiru cleaned up," Dalzen told him.

"Of course," Hiiragi nodded and he took Taylor by her hand and looked up at her. "So, would you show me to your father's house?"

"Mhm," Taylor nodded timidly.

Hiiragi took his jacket and held her inside of it to keep her warm and he nodded to Dalzen, "I'll keep her safe, I promise."

"Thank you," Dalzen bowed a little and he walked out quickly so he could get a head start. Then Hiiragi left with Taylor, closing and locking the door behind them. They held hands as they walked.

"So where does your dad live?" Hiiragi asked softly. "Show me?"

"Mhm..." Taylor looked and pointed to the right. "Right."

They turned right and kept walking. Taylor looked down sadly as she thought about what's been going on, and now she knows that her brother is being used to capture her. Her eyes looked up again and she pointed towards her father's house. "There. Oh, looks like my dad is just coming home too..."

Kakashi looked up and saw his daughter walking with her guy friend and he looked rather shocked to see her. He was especially shocked at how sad she seemed. She let go of Hiiragi's hand and ran up to her father.

"Daddy!" she cried, running into him and hugging him. Hiiragi rushed in behind her but he kept quiet.

"Oh!" Kakashi winced. "Hey...what's wrong, sweetheart?"

She kept her face buried in his chest and wouldn't speak. He looked to Hiiragi, hoping he knew. Hiiragi put his hands in his pocket and looked to the side.

"She's not safe with Sakumo, not right now," he told her father. "She won't be safe with him until the whole thing with Nikumu Moeteiru is cleaned up. My grandpa just went back to get her things so she can be with you until she can go back."

"Well, that's fine with Yuugao and I," Kakashi nodded. "She's my daughter, after all. But I'm feeling like something else is wrong with her. That wouldn't upset her this much..."

"Well..." Hiiragi crossed his arms. "She...she was attacked earlier and I took her home to heal her. She was poisoned and she'd passed out. When she woke up, she was sweating and looked scared. Dalzen and I asked and she said...they have her brother."

"They...have her brother?" Kakashi looked down at her as she clutched his vest. "Is that right?"

Taylor nodded sadly.

"But...how?"

Taylor let go and sniffled, "I dunno."

Gently, Kakashi brushed Taylor's bangs from her face and sighed, "Well, I suppose we should go inside. You must be freezing cold right now, sweetheart."

Taylor hugged her sides and nodded. Kakashi looked up at Hiiragi, "Would you like to join us? Perhaps warm up by the fire and have some..." He grinned at his daughter, "Hot cocoa?"

Taylor perked up a little and Hiiragi smiled, "Sure, why not?"

Kakashi gestured towards his and Yuugao's home and both kids walked inside to warm up.

"Hey Yuugao!" Kakashi called up the stairs for Yuugao. "We've got Taylor for a few days!"

"That's fine!" they heard Yuugao respond. "I'll get her room ready."

"You two just sit down and warm up," Kakashi told them. "I'll be back in here with hot cocoa."

"Okay," Taylor blushed as Kakashi kissed her cheek and left for the kitchen. Taylor and Hiiragi sat down by the fire and Taylor grabbed the blanket from the couch and curled up under it. Hiiragi looked at her and blushed.

"So uhm..." he scratched his cheek. "Were you conscious when you kissed me?"

"I kissed you?" Taylor asked.

"Er, well then I suppose you weren't conscious..." Hiiragi looked down. "Yeah...you uhm, kinda kissed me...and Grandpa...kinda saw..."

Taylor blushed even more, "D-Dalzen saw?"

"Yep," Hiiragi nodded. "He came in right as we were kissing. I may have dropped you back on the couch when I realized he'd seen us."

"Oh..." Taylor's face turned pink with embarrassment. "S-So I kissed you..."

"While delirious..." Hiiragi finished.

"Alrighty then..." Taylor turned to the fire and fell silent. Hiiragi looked down, knowing she felt totally embarrassed and he wasn't going to speak of it again to save her the embarrassment.

...

Dalzen ran into the house, "Hey Sakumo, got a minute?"

Harou looked to Dalzen, "What's wrong?"

"Taylor's not safe here with us," Dalzen told him. "And I really don't want to go through her...unmentionables."

"Oh," Harou blinked. "Why isn't she safe? Where will she go? Wait...am I safe? What about Saru?"

"You're prolly fine and so is Saru," Dalzen assured him. "I just need Sakumo..."

"Sakumo's outside trying to replace the heater," Harou told him. "He's got someone helping him."

"Damn...well, Taylor is with the younger Hiiragi so I suppose it can wait for a while," Dalzen sighed and sat down on the couch and he held his head in his hands to try and catch his breath.

"What's wrong?" Harou asked.

"A lot is wrong," Dalzen breathed.

"Want to tell me?" Harou asked in a quiet voice. "What happened today?"

"Oh god, it's been a hell of a day..." Dalzen frowned. "But...I suppose you should know." Dalzen went into detail about what had happened today and the explanation lasted a good thirty minutes, enough time for Sakumo and the engineer to install the heater. Dalzen told him everything and Harou was shocked about it all. He wasn't sure how to respond when Dalzen finally finished. He looked at his friend, who was looking stressed about it all. After a few moments of silence, Harou reached a reassuring hand over to Dalzen and rested it on his shoulder. He glanced over at him and smiled assuringly.

"I'm fine...just, now I'm worried for Taylor's sake," he sighed.

"I am...as well," Harou told him. "Because now she's got her older brother to worry about."

"Her _dead_ older brother," Dalzen agreed.

"Dead older brother?" came Sakumo's voice. "Whose dead older brother are you talking about?"

"Taylor's," Dalzen answered.

"Mitsuho? What about him?" Sakumo wondered.

"He went into the past to try and kidnap Taylor as a little kid," Dalzen told him. "So that he could kill her."

"Wh-What did Dad do?" Sakumo wondered.

"Your father really didn't do anything," Dalzen told him. "Taylor shocked the person holding her with her chakra, though. That's a plus..."

"There was someone else?" Sakumo asked.

"Yes," Dalzen told him. "They're members of Nikumu Moeteiru."

"Damn," Sakumo blinked in disbelief.

"She's not safe here," Dalzen told him quickly. "You need to gather her clothes for me to take to her. I'm not going through her underwear..."

"Of course," Sakumo nodded. "I will...I will go gather her clothes."

"Thank you. Oh, and she asked for her art supplies and a few other things," Dalzen added. "I'll gather them..."

"Of course," Sakumo nodded. Both of them headed to Taylor's room and started gathering her things.

Dalzen grabbed the notebook Taylor asked for and looked at her art supplies. Did she mean all of her art supplies or just something to color with? He was NOT bringing all 400 markers! He saw a pack of professional colored pencils and he grabbed those along with paper and her pencils and replacement erasers and lead refills. He went to her bed and grabbed the teal-haired plush off of her bed.

"She said something about a bear named Samuel?" Dalzen asked.

"The one Hiruzen gave her," Sakumo nodded. "She named the bear after Harou's character in her books."

"Where is he?"

"With Kakashi," Sakumo told him. "She keeps him there."

"O-Oh..." Dalzen blinked. "Oh...right...that's what she'd said..."

Sakumo chuckled, "Well, I've got her clothes. Oh, maybe she'll want her brush...And her body wash. I think she's stopped washing her hair except when she sweats a lot...Toothbrush, toothpaste..."

"Yeah," Dalzen nodded and Sakumo quickly left to get those. Then, he looked in her closet and found the bag she was talking about. It was the bag she used for missions. "I guess that's big enough..." He took the clothes that had been neatly folded by Sakumo and he started putting them into the bag. Then, on top of that he put Taylor's art stuff and her writing notebook. Then, he added in the plushie. When Sakumo came back, he added in the stuff he'd gathered.

"Alright..." Dalzen clipped the top and slung the bag over his shoulder.

"Please...give Taylor a hug for me," Sakumo told him, not adding "give her kisses for me too" because that might be too awkward for them both, especially since Hiiragi is Taylor's future husband and he's a Morino.

"I will," Dalzen nodded.

"Thank you..." Sakumo sighed heavily and led Dalzen out. "Are you coming back?"

"Yeah," Dalzen nodded. "Kinda have to, this is...my home now, too."

"I'll start on something for supper," Sakumo told Dalzen, looking down.

"Thanks..."

Dalzen left quickly and headed out to return to the village. On his way to the village, he saw the elder Hiiragi walking back. He looked up, surprised to see Dalzen walking with a bag towards the village.

"Huh?" He blinked in disbelief. "What's going on?"

"Thought you'd remember," Dalzen muttered. "Your younger self just took Taylor to her father's house to stay there until things are safe."

"C-Can I stay there?" Hiiragi asked. "I'm going wherever Taylor goes."

"How about you wait until after midnight?" Dalzen sighed. "You don't want to accidentally walk into your younger self. Who knows what'll happen."

"Right, right..." Hiiragi nodded.

"Any news?" Dalzen asked. "Do you know who murdered Haruki?"

"We got more than that," Hiiragi nodded. "We know more about Nikumu Moeteiru. We know where they are."

"Great! When do we head that way?" Dalzen asked, suddenly excited.

"When Taylor feels ready to go," Hiiragi told him. "She's going on the mission, she has to."

"What? Is she not right now?" Dalzen asked.

"No," Hiiragi shook his head. "Right now, I think, she's feeling sick. She might feel better in a few days."

"Oh...okay," Dalzen sighed. "Anyway, you can go to Kakashi's after midnight to make sure you don't run into your younger self. Alright? We'll talk more before you leave..."

"Of course," Hiiragi nodded. "See you when you get back."

Dalzen nodded and dashed off.

...

Kakashi, Hiiragi, and Yuugao sat and watched as Taylor sat in front of the fire, not wanting to talk as she drank her hot cocoa. She wanted to have time to herself to think, which she hasn't had time to herself in a few weeks. Kakashi and Yuugao whispered amongst themselves as Taylor thought. Hiiragi sat beside her to try and comfort her. She took a sip of her hot cocoa and set it down on the floor in front of her. She sat on her legs and she almost looked as if she were meditating, but she wasn't. Her eyes were open and she just kept thinking to herself. Occasionally, a tear streaked down her cheek and Hiiragi wiped it away from her face.

"So...what is going on?" Yuugao asked in a whisper.

"A lot," Kakashi replied in a hushed voice. "Basically put...some group from the future is out to get Taylor...and I...and there's an older Hiiragi—" he kept his voice very low so that the younger Hiiragi couldn't hear him. "The older Hiiragi is trying to prevent the group from trying to wipe out everyone in Konoha earlier than they did in the future, and he's also trying to prevent the deaths of thousands of people."

"Why do they want to hurt you two?" Yuugao whispered.

"Because, we're both well-known shinobi throughout the continent," Kakashi pointed out. "Both of us have pissed off some people...hah, she's just like me...pissing people off...anyway." He sighed, "Earlier today she just found out her dead half-brother, Kobayashi Mitsuho, is being used as a puppet to get her."

"Oh..." Yuugao nodded. "Hey, go sit with your daughter in front of the fire! You should try to comfort her."

"You're right..." Kakashi nodded. "But I just wanted to give her space; it looked like she needed space..."

"If anything, I think she needs _you_ right now," Yuugao pointed out.

"You're right..." Kakashi nodded. "She prolly does need me..."

"She will always need you," Yuugao smiled as Kakashi stood up a little and moved to sit down on the floor beside his daughter.

He tapped his cup lightly, not wanting to distract Taylor. Then, he made his hand stop and he gave her a concerned look.

"You gonna be okay, sweetheart?" he asked gently.

Taylor opened her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Yeah, I'll be okay," she lied.

"I know you better than that," Kakashi told her.

"I feel like people I know and love are being dragged into something they shouldn't be..." Taylor kept her gaze down, embarrassed that she was still easily emotional. "They're getting hurt because of me."

"It's not just you..." Kakashi pointed out. "You told me that they're after me too."

"Not as much as they are after me..." Taylor sniffled and rubbed her nose. "Because I'm your daughter, they think the greatest pain they can cause you is to hurt me."

"Well...It's not your fault you're a badass shinobi," he grinned at her.

"Daddy, I don't think it's that..." she sighed. "I mean, supposedly they killed Haruki...what if he was just a pawn in their game? What if that's why he was acting strange and why he was trying to hurt me? He was a pawn, just like how Mitsuho is a pawn in their stupid game! There's something more to the whole thing than me just being too badass for them to handle."

Kakashi sighed, "I was just trying to cheer you up..."

"I know...but it's not going to help right now," Taylor rubbed at her eyes.

Suddenly, they heard a knock at the door. Taylor peeked at the window out of worry that she'd been found. Nope, just her uncle Dalzen.

"It's Uncle Dalzen..." Taylor told her father.

Kakashi stood up and walked over to the front door and opened it up. Dalzen was standing there, holding her bag in his hands as he looked at Kakashi with a serious face. Kakashi nodded as Dalzen gave him the bag. He took the bag and set it on the couch and stepped outside to talk with Dalzen, since the look he'd given him was a, "We need to talk" look. He closed the door, in case it involved the older Hiiragi. Dalzen crossed his arms and looked straight at Kakashi.

"How much did they tell you?" Dalzen asked.

"Well, he told me why she's staying with me for a while," Kakashi said. "And she told me about what happened with Haruki...and that her brother is part of the game..."

"That's an understatement," Dalzen nodded in agreement. "They're using him as a pawn in order to get to her."

"I know," Kakashi agreed. "She also was attacked."

"Good, they told you everything," Dalzen nodded. "Anyway, supposedly the older Hiiragi and Ibiki found out where Nikumu Moeteiru—"

"Are they going to go find Nikumu Moeteiru? When?!" Kakashi asked.

"When Taylor feels better," Dalzen told him. "She's sick...I bet she is...and I know she wants to go, she's stubborn that way."

"How do you know?" Kakashi asked. "And who's to say she's not going to try and leave now while she's sick?

"The older Hiiragi remembers," Dalzen told him. "He's not immune to his memory changing. His memory still changes because of all of this. And well, I expect her to." Dalzen shrugged.

"Oh..." Kakashi nodded.

"By the way, you might want to stay up late so that he can come be with Taylor," Dalzen pointed out. "The older Hiiragi is coming around midnight, hoping he can evade running into the younger Hiiragi."

"Of course," Kakashi nodded. "We can do that. I suppose he's going to want to sleep in Taylor's room..."

"Yeah, he prolly will," Dalzen sighed. "He wants to be with her...after all, he lost her in the future. He misses her...And well, he's dying. He wants to spend as much time as he possibly can with her." He gave a sad look, "We don't know when he's going to die."

"Oh shit, Hiiragi is dying?" Kakashi asked, surprised.

"The older one," Dalzen nodded. "Radiation poisoning. The future is...rather irradiated. And that's what he's trying to prevent: he's trying to prevent people from being killed. I don't know how, but some villages have developed a new kind of warfare and it's not pretty...nuclear warfare."

"I thought that was just fiction," Kakashi remarked.

"It's not just fiction anymore," Dalzen shook his head. "And it'll only be used if the villages go into a war after the destruction of Konoha. At least, that's what he said."

"I see..." Kakashi nodded. "Did you want to talk to Taylor?"

"Nah, I'll leave it up to Hiiragi to tell her where Moeteiru is," Dalzen told him. "But, she can come give me a hug...if she so wishes."

"Of course," Kakashi opened the door again. "Hey Taylor, Dalzen says you can give him a hug."

"Okay," Taylor sneezed and stood up, still huddled under her blanket. She walked over to the front door and hugged Dalzen. Dalzen hugged her back and rubbed her back.

"Hiiragi will be by later," he whispered in a low voice. "He'll let you know what's going on."

"Okay," Taylor nodded. "Hopefully Hiiragi will be gone by then so they don't accidentally run into each other."

"I hope so," Dalzen nodded in agreement. "Alright, I better go. It's cold as hell."

"Okay," Taylor agreed. "Thank you...Dalzen...for protecting me. Then, and now." She smiled a little.

"Well, you're too sweet to not want to protect," Dalzen gave a wry chuckle as he let go of her. "Go on, you need to go inside."

Taylor coughed in agreement, "Yeah...guess so..."

"C'mon, sweetheart," Kakashi put a gentle hand on her back and led her inside. He led her inside, turned and looked at Dalzen. "Thank you, Dalzen..."

"You're welcome," Dalzen smiled a little.

...

Dalzen helped Taylor up the steps to his house. When she looked at it with her big and bright blue eyes, she noticed how bigger it seemed compared to Coushander's house. Perhaps it was just because she was small and everything looked big to her. Dalzen scooped her up after he opened the front door, holding her in one arm and holding her clothes in the other. He looked around, surprised that no one was there. Taylor took her sketchbook and pencil and Dalzen sat her clothes down on the couch and continued on until he could see down the hall.

"Damn, where is everyone?" he wondered out loud, looking to Taylor. "Guess it's just us, for now..."

He brought her into the kitchen and sat her down at the table as he pulled took a glance through their pantry to figure out what they had. Taylor sat quietly at the table, studying him as he studied his pantry and his fridge. He had to make sure they had enough food and that they had snacks and fruits. Well, not much was in there. Maybe that's why Hina and the kids left: to do some grocery shopping. There was duck breast out in the fridge, thawing. He wondered what Hina was planning to do with it.

Taylor looked around, unfamiliar with her surroundings. Dalzen grabbed two glasses so that they had water and they could sit together at the table, and he could keep an eye on her as she drew. He filled the glasses with water and then sat down at the table with Taylor, placing a glass down in front of her. She looked at the glass and looked at him.

"Th-Thank you," she stammered.

Dalzen smiled and nodded. Then, he rested his head on his hand and thought about Coushander. He felt awful for taking away his great-granddaughter like that, but the both of them knew that had he left her there, the strange shinobi would've returned and try to kill Coushander and Kakashi and then kill Taylor. He wouldn't allow that to happen. No, not on his watch. He'd almost dozed off by the time his wife returned with the kids, Teal and Hoshi. His eyes flew open when he heard the front door open. He and Taylor both looked up and saw Hina and their two children.

"Good afternoon, dear!" Hina greeted with her beautiful smile and she rushed in to set the bags down. Teal and Hoshi both followed.

"Hi Daddy!" Hoshi greeted happily, completely oblivious to the young girl sitting at the table.

"Hello, sweetheart," Dalzen yawned and allowed her to jump up on him and sit in his lap for a moment. She kissed him and smiled. Taylor stared, surprised to see his kids. She held the pencil, and then her heart dropped when she realized the little girl was Dalzen's little girl. She looked down sadly, wishing she was getting that kind of loving. Hina walked up to Dalzen and planted a kiss on his cheek. That's when she realized that there was a little girl sitting in front of Dalzen.

"Hm? Did you bring in an orphan you found off the streets?" Hina wondered. "That's unlike you..."

Dalzen scoffed, "You think I want another kid? Let alone someone else's?"

"Who is she, then?" Hina wondered, eyeing the kid. "She looks like your friend."

"Well, that's because she's related to him," Dalzen sighed. "Oh, how do I explain it?"

"Who are you?" Teal asked Taylor with a dubious look.

"Hey, you look sad!" Hoshi gasped. "Aw!"

"Huh?" Dalzen looked over at Taylor. Hoshi was right; Taylor looked almost like she was going to cry. "Hey, what's wrong, kiddo? You're not about to start crying, are you?"

Taylor looked to the side in embarrassment, "Daddy says I'm not supposed to cry cause I'm a shinobi..."

"Why do you want to cry?" Dalzen asked softly.

Taylor hugged her sides and kept her gaze away from everyone. Dalzen sighed and looked at his wife, "Long story short, she's from the future and someone is after her to kill her. We're trying to keep her safe, and she's not safe with Coushander. The only place I could think to keep her safe was here. No one would really think she was here unless they actually searched."

Hoshi hopped off of Dalzen's lap and walked over to Taylor.

"Why do you want to cry?" she asked Taylor in curiosity.

"She wants to be left alone," Teal grumbled. "We should leave her alone."

"No she doesn't," Hoshi told her brother.

"Yes she does," Teal argued. "She didn't answer Dad's question, obviously she wants to be left alone."

"Teal, Hoshi!" Dalzen sighed heavily and stood up. "Let me deal with her, okay?" He turned to Taylor, "You saw me holding Hoshi...is that why you're upset? Did you want to be held, Taylor?"

Taylor looked up and blinked away a tear, then Hina put her hands on her waist.

"So...she's a Hatake?" she asked as Dalzen scooped up Taylor, who was very much used to being the center of attention. "And she's from the future?"

"Yep," Dalzen nodded.

"Are you okay?" Hina wondered.

"Normally, I wouldn't believe it...but considering she was with us when she was older a few months ago it's hard not to believe," Dalzen told his wife. "At least, it is to me..." He sighed and then it hit him, "Oh...that's right, Taylor grew up as an only child." He laughed, "The poor child is used to being the center of attention!"

Hina giggled a little, "Aw, is that so?"

"No wonder she got upset when Hoshi climbed up on me," Dalzen shook his head with an amused smile. "And ever since she got here, Coushander has been holding her. He even would let her sleep in between him and Kano every night..."

"Might as well have Coushander come so that your children don't think you're putting them off so that Taylor can be comfortable," Hina told him.

"There is no way in hell I'm living with Coushander, even if it is for like a week," Dalzen told her. "Not in my house, anyway. I mean if I had to, I would. Since I don't have to, I'm not living with him..." He sighed, "I told him he's welcome over whenever he wants for Taylor."

"Alright," Hina sighed.

"If you really want to hold her to feel better, you can," Hoshi told her father. "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?" Dalzen asked.

"Not like she wants to be held often," Teal murmured.

"Teal..." Dalzen glared. "Alright, I suppose..."

Taylor buried her face in Dalzen's chest and cried softly. No, maybe that's not entirely what's wrong.

"Maybe she misses her father," Hina told her husband. "And when she saw you with Hoshi, it might've finally hit her that she was alone and that she wanted her father."

"Well, that would make sense..." Dalzen told Hina, putting a hand on Taylor's back to comfort her. "She grew up without a mom, so she and her father are very close. When she was with Coushander, she felt safe because she had Coushander...and the younger version of her father. No, not Sakumo. Sakumo's her grandfather. Her father, as a 10-year-old, is here in the past right now with Coushander. There's something going on, and I don't know what..."

"Sounds like something odd is going on," Hina agreed, then looked down. "But, where are we going to put her? I'd rather her not sleep on the couch."

"I was thinking perhaps we set up a futon in Hoshi's room," Dalzen suggested. "That way she's in a room not by herself and she's with someone closer to her age. And a girl..."

"Alright, I guess," Hina agreed with reluctance.

Dalzen leaned towards Hina and kissed her, "Thank you."

"Well, considering she's a little kid..." Hina pointed out.

Dalzen nodded and Taylor lifted her head to look at him. He gave her a small smile and brushed her bangs back out of her face.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked, amused that she was crying on him.

"A little..." Taylor murmured sadly.

Dalzen reached behind him at the table for a napkin to wipe her tears. He brought a napkin up to her face and began gently drying her tears.

"You miss your father?" he asked softly.

"Mhm," Taylor nodded. "And Grandpa...and Kousa..."

"Well, we'll get you back to your time before you know it," Dalzen hoped. "At least...that's what I hope."

Taylor buried her face back into his chest and he and Hina both gave an amused, "Aw!"

"Well, I suppose I can start on lunch, now," Hina giggled.

"I will try to comfort Taylor..." Dalzen blushed. "For Sakumo's sake..."

"Yeah," Hina nodded. "You do that."

Dalzen sat back down at the table and he attempted to comfort Taylor. Hoshi and Teal both watched their father try to comfort Taylor, and then Teal sighed and walked away in annoyance.

"I wish he loved me like that..." Teal grumbled.

"Teal!" Hoshi hissed at her brother and followed. "He does love you like that. He loves me like that too."

"He works at Intel," Teal walked away. "He doesn't care..."

"Ugh! You're such an idiot," Hoshi defended their father. "He cares a whole lot! How could he not?"

"Because he works at Intel..." Teal emphasized.

Hoshi watched as he walked into his room and closed the door. She sighed heavily and walked back to join her parents. Maybe one day he'd understand.

.

.


	9. Preparation

**Chapter Nine**

Preparation

.

.

When the elder Morino made his way home, he noticed things were quiet. The air was austere as Sakumo worked on making supper. Harou was sitting at the table, drinking tea and watching Saru, who was covered in scratches. Dalzen took off his snow boots and his jacket, putting it on the couch for now. He looked around and then heard someone groaning from down the hall. Considering Harou and Saru were sitting at the table and Sakumo was making supper, Dalzen quickly drew the conclusion that it was the elder Hiiragi in the bathroom, possibly puking.

"What's wrong with Hiiragi?" Dalzen asked.

"He's sick..." Sakumo told him.

"Oh..." Dalzen looked down.

"The same thing that's been making him sick: the radiation poisoning," Sakumo continued.

"Right..." Dalzen sighed. He still couldn't believe some shinobi villages had made nuclear weapons. Why would they do that? He sighed and then sat down at the table with Harou and Saru. He looked at Saru, "So...how did you get all banged up?"

"He climbed onto the roof like the little monkey he is!" Harou exclaimed, then looked down. "God...he's a lunatic." He then ran his fingers through his hair, "I feel like he's trying to get me killed or something, I swear."

"Well, he's a kid, what did you expect?" Dalzen retorted.

"You know, you're right," Harou sighed. "And this is Saru-Shin. I shouldn't expect so much from him..."

"No, you shouldn't," Dalzen grinned.

Sakumo set down their plates and Dalzen could immediately see the sadness in his eyes. He was worried about Taylor and so Dalzen reached a hand over to his pupil and tried to reassure him.

"Is Taylor okay?" Sakumo asked in a quieted voice.

"Yeah," Harou realized. "Is she okay?"

Dalzen nodded tiredly, "Yeah, she's fine, although she seemed a little sick. Perhaps it's because of the poison..."

"Or because Saru climbed into bed with her last night," Harou pointed out. "He may look fine but he's sick right now."

"No I'm not!" Saru protested.

"Yes you are, shut up," Harou glared.

When Saru began coughing, Harou gave a curt nod of satisfaction.

"Exactly."

Dalzen chuckled and as soon as Sakumo gave him his plate, he dug right in. Sakumo was both shocked and confused. Even Harou had a confused expression on his face.

"Geez, Sensei, did you not eat today?" Sakumo asked.

"Not really, I've been kinda busy trying to keep Taylor safe," Dalzen pointed out.

"I gave Taylor two bento boxes: one for her and one for you," Sakumo told Dalzen. "Did you guys not eat?"

Dalzen blinked, "Oh...uhm, not really. I didn't even know she'd brought lunch." He paused, "Oh...shit, she probably went to put it in the mess hall before she went to interrogation! Damn it, I'll have to ask Ibiki to eat one of them before they go bad. Prolly share the other one with Dura."

"Yeah," Sakumo sighed as he gave Harou his bowl of oatmeal and then gave Saru his bowl of soup. He glared at Saru, "Eat all of your vegetables, or else you won't become a strong ninja! And you won't get better..."

Harou and Dalzen both stifled a laugh at Saru as he looked confused. Then, Sakumo turned away to make his plate.

"Sorry," Dalzen quickly composed himself and apologized to Sakumo as he left to grab his plate. "Kinda got busy."

"It's fine, I understand." Sakumo sat down and began eating. "After all, we don't need Taylor having nightmares, now do we?" He gave an amused smile, "I'm not upset. In fact, I'm glad you helped try and keep my granddaughter as safe as you could."

Dalzen looked away, "Well...I tried but...no one noticed the kunai until it was too late."

"It's okay," Sakumo assured. "Don't you just love those surprise kunais though?"

"God I vehemently hate the surprise kunais," Dalzen grumbled. "We were in the village, that was the last thing on my mind."

"My question is: how the hell did they manage to infiltrate the village?" Harou looked at Dalzen in confusion. "Isn't the village heavily guarded?"

Dalzen took a quick sip of water, "I suppose I'll get Inoichi to interrogate the guards. That is rather suspicious."

"It is," Sakumo agreed.

"Well, I'm sure we'll figure that out," Dalzen told Sakumo.

Sakumo nodded and silence fell over the men as they ate.

...

Hiiragi left after supper, not without giving Taylor a little peck on the cheek. Taylor stayed in the living room, curled up against Kakashi on the couch until she was too tired to stay awake. Kakashi decided to take Taylor to her room so she could sleep. As he led her to her room, Taylor clumsily followed him and suddenly, she heard him humming quietly to himself, or she thought that was what he was doing.

"What are you doing?" she asked him as he led her into her room. "You're humming, and it's weird because you haven't done it in awhile."

"I was thinking, perhaps I could sing you to sleep?" Kakashi asked, softly smiling at her. "For old time's sake?"

Taylor smiled back, "I'd love that, Daddy."

He followed her to her bed and allowed her to climb into bed and get comfortable. Kakashi then sat down next to her and began singing in a soft voice to help relax her into sleeping. He stroked her hair gently until he'd finished singing, and when he did he leaned over to give her a kiss.

"Good night, Taylor," he told her softly.

Taylor gave a muffled mumble of a "Goodnight, Daddy" as a response.

The father rose to his feet slowly and then turned towards Taylor.

"Hey, don't freak out if you wake up to Hiiragi in your room," he whispered. "Hiiragi is supposed to come tonight."

Taylor mumbled "okay" in response to her father and she switched sides for sleeping. With a bow, Kakashi left her room and quietly closed the door behind him, heading back into the living room to wait on Hiiragi.

...

It was bitterly cold and dark by the time Hiiragi left for Kakashi's home back in the village. The skies were overcast, but with no chance of precipitation. A bitterly cold breeze swept past him as he trekked quietly into the village. The eerie silence stuck a painful chord with him. This was the same kind of silence after the fire that killed everybody in Konoha. The painful memories flooded his mind and he clutched the bear inside of his coat, willing the memories to go away. He had to be strong, or at least try his best.

As he stumbled along towards Kakashi and Yuugao's home, he heard footsteps behind him and he hoped to the gods that wasn't his younger self. He walked much more briskly, trying to get to the house before his younger self could answer. However, the footsteps behind him got faster and eventually, Hiiragi heard the voice.

"Hey! Are you okay, sir?" came a voice. It was his voice. His younger self was behind him, just as he had feared.

"Please leave me alone," the elder Hiiragi responded with a raspy voice. "Please, go."

"Are you sure? I can help you," the younger Hiiragi assured.

The elder didn't stop, he continued towards Kakashi's home, which wasn't far now.

"Please? I can help you if you're hurt!" the younger Hiiragi rushed forward and ran in front of his older self, only to be frozen in place by surprise. The elder stopped immediately, shocked by the younger Hiiragi. "Oh my...Oh my word!"

"You fool!" the elder cried out. "I told you to leave!"

"I-I'm sorry," the younger Hiiragi stammered. "Just...you...I...looked sick...I-I wanted to help..."

The elder Hiiragi put his face in his hands and sighed, "I know...I wanted to help too..."

"So are you...from the future? My future?" the younger Hiiragi asked.

"Yes, to change that future," the elder Hiiragi told him.

"To...change it?" the younger wondered. "Why?"

"Because everyone dies," the elder fought tears. "Everybody dies. Except us. I'm from when Taylor and our children dies. I went into the past into hiding, when I came back the world was desolate. Empty. Void of life. And that's when I realized that group — Nikumu Moeteiru — were the people behind everyone's deaths. I'm here to stop them from doing it earlier. They're planning the destruction of Konoha again right now! I've gotta stop them!"

The younger Hiiragi had no idea what to say. He blinked in disbelief.

"N-No..." he whispered.

"Please...if you'll excuse me, I must see Taylor..." the elder stepped aside.

"Hiiragi," the younger started. "Taylor and I...we get married?"

The elder Hiiragi sighed, "And have kids." He paused, "Hiiragi, do me a favor after this whole mess. Taylor wanted to go to Kirigakure and Iwagakure to see if she could find out more information about Saru-Shin so she could write the prequel to the whole _Dragon Bloods' Fate_ series. We never got to do it before she was killed since she got pregnant before we were able to go to do the research. Would you take her there after this whole mess?"

"I-I certainly could try," the younger agreed.

"Promise?" the elder asked.

"I promise," the younger promised.

"Well then," the elder gave a sad smile. "I'm counting on you to help her go do her research like she wants."

"I will do everything within my power to get her to Kirigakure," Hiiragi told the elder.

"Thank you..." the elder wiped away a tear. "That is all. Please be careful...I cannot say anymore, so please leave.

"S-Sorry..." the younger Hiiragi had so many questions.

"I know, you have many questions," the elder began walking away slowly. "Goodbye..."

The younger was too stunned to make any attempt at a response, so he just nodded slowly and watched the elder walk off towards Kakashi's home. After a few moments, he forced himself to walk away and forget the encounter. Taylor would want him to at least pretend it didn't happen. When he got there, he knocked at the door and waited quietly. He heard Kakashi's voice yell, "Coming!" and then footsteps. When the door opened, Kakashi looked like he was ready to go to bed. Hiiragi inclined his head.

"Sorry if you had to stay up longer than you wanted," he apologized.

"It's...fine..." Kakashi sighed. "I suppose you want to be with her..."

"If you don't mind," Hiiragi blushed.

"I do..." Kakashi told him. "But considering how you are right now, you don't seem like you'd hurt her."

A sweat drop slipped down Hiiragi's face, "Uh...gee, thanks..."

"Sorry," Kakashi sighed heavily and led him inside. "Taylor's room is down there on the right..."

Hiiragi bowed, "Thank you, Kakashi-sama."

Kakashi gave a tired nod, "Yeah, just go..."

Hiiragi gave a grateful smile as he inclined his head and headed down towards Taylor's room. When he got to her room, he quietly opened the door and walked inside. He closed the door behind him, as Taylor has never really liked the door being open while she slept. Walking towards her desk, he took his trench coat off and hung it off the back of her chair. Then, he got into bed with her and lied down beside her, surprisingly not waking her up.

"Goodnight, my little monkey..." he whispered to her as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Outside the door, Kakashi was finally heading off to bed but not without stopping by Taylor's room to dubiously glower at Hiiragi even though the door was closed. He didn't like that a guy was in there sleeping with her, but at the same time he trusted Hiiragi not to hurt her. He wouldn't hurt her. Still, as a father it bothered him that there was a guy alone with his daughter.

He sighed and turned when he heard Yuugao call out to him.

"Kakashi, aren't you coming to bed?" she called.

Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts, "Oh uhm...of course, Yuugao."

He sighed and walked towards their bedroom so that he could finally sleep.

...

Dalzen quietly set up a futon in Hoshi's room while Hina made supper. After Teal kept glowering at Taylor, she eventually got too nervous to stay there in the living room with Teal, and she got up and rushed to find Dalzen using her sense of smell. Once she found him, she hid behind him until he noticed her presence. When Dalzen stepped back, he accidentally walked into Taylor and he jumped, startled by her. When he looked, she was standing there behind him with a nervous expression.

"Huh? What's the matter with you?" Dalzen wondered.

"Teal is being mean to me..." Taylor told him.

"Hm?" Dalzen looked over his shoulder. "Why is Teal being such a little shit?"

Taylor pouted and Dalzen sighed, "I really don't know what to tell you..."

She kept pouting and Dalzen gave a sigh of exasperation, "Alright, fine you can help me make your bed." He handed her a blanket and she took it and dropped it on the bed, then looked back at Dalzen.

"Uhm...that's not how you make a bed..." he muttered. "Have you ever made your bed?"

Taylor shook her head. Not yet. Dalzen gave a wry laugh.

"Thanks a lot...Sakumo..." he muttered, thinking about her grandfather. How could he not make her make her bed? "Alright...uhm...I suppose that's fine if you're really okay with the blanket being balled up like that." He put the pillow down on the futon and then led her out. "Hey Teal! Stop being a little shit to Taylor."

"What?" Teal asked. "I'm not being mean to her."

"Uhm, yes you are," Dalzen glared at his son. "Stop making her feel uncomfortable."

"I'm not—"

"Teal, stop arguing," Hoshi growled at her brother. "You're making her uncomfortable."

"Exactly," Dalzen agreed.

Taylor clutched Dalzen's hand and he sighed, "Just be nice to her, okay? She's already gone through enough, she doesn't need someone to make her uncomfortable just because they feel like she's too clingy."

"She is too clingy," Teal grumbled.

"Perhaps so," Dalzen told him. "But that doesn't give you the right to make her feel bad about it."

"It should..." Teal muttered.

Dalzen glared, "Teal. Stop it. She's a really strong shinobi, she could kick your ass if she wanted to. I wouldn't mess with her if I were you." He glanced down at Taylor and winked, "Isn't that right, Taylor?"

"Uhuh!" Taylor nodded.

"After all, she took down someone close to my height," Dalzen told his son. "So if you want to continue picking on her, that's your choice. But I'm just warning you, if she tackles you later I'm not gonna help you."

Taylor nodded quickly in agreement and the look on Teal's face was a cross between being terrified and and mortified. Dalzen gave an amused smile.

"That's what I thought," he nodded. He turned to Taylor and gave an assuring smile, "Don't worry. I don't think Teal is going to bother you if he knows you can take down someone Coushander's height."

Taylor giggled at Dalzen and he gently reached over to mess up her hair, "Now stop being clingy."

...

When Taylor woke up the next morning, she woke up to her own coughing fit. She covered her mouth with the pillow and coughed until the coughing subsided. When she did that, she realized that someone was in her bed with her, holding her. Smelling the air, she could tell it was Hiiragi — the elder Hiiragi — by the scent of lemon tinged with a metallic smell from the future Konoha he was from. Taylor reached towards where his hands were, which were gently resting on her stomach. She gingerly touched his hands.

He suddenly hugged Taylor and she gave a surprised squeak at Hiiragi. He buried his face in her hair.

"You okay?" he whispered.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Taylor responded with a yawn.

"You were coughing pretty hard there," he told her.

"I'm fine," Taylor repeated. "Just...feeling yucky...nothing serious."

"Of course," Hiiragi sat up and allowed for Taylor to sit up.

"So, did you guys find anything out last night?" she asked him.

"Yeah, well it looks like they're in the northern part of the Country of Fire," he answered. "Right in the mountains."

"Man, we gotta go through the mountains _again_?" Taylor groaned. "Well, not the same ones but we still have to go through mountains... Means we're gonna have to ride horses there because there's no way in hell you have enough strength to make it up the mountain without help."

Hiiragi nodded in agreement, "No...there's not much time left before I die."

He held his hand over his heart and a green chakra surrounded his hand as he tried to heal himself. When the chakra dissipated, Taylor swallowed hard.

"No wonder you're always so weak..." she muttered. "You use your chakra to heal yourself."

"It keeps me from keeling over dead for awhile," Hiiragi told her. "Helps with my pain..."

Taylor looked in his eyes, seeing the pain written on his face. He really was dying, slowly and painfully. Her heart broke seeing him in such a state and she had to look away. He was like a helpless puppy. The elder Hiiragi reached towards her hand and he held it weakly.

"We go today, if you're up for it," he told her with a slight cough.

"Okay," Taylor agreed reluctantly. "We need teams though. Who should go on our team?"

"I was thinking two teams," Hiiragi told her. "You, me, Dalzen on one team and Kakashi, the younger me, and Ibiki on the other."

"We need two more people," Taylor pointed out. "One more person on each team."

"I don't know who else to add," Hiiragi told her.

"Well, why not Teal or Hoshi?" Taylor suggested.

"No, we don't need more Morino on this mission," Hiiragi told her.

Taylor thought for a moment, "Why not Dura and Harou? Put Harou on my team and Dura on the other."

Hiiragi shrugged, "I mean...I guess so. But neither Harou nor Dura are confident in their skills."

"I'm sure a little bit of persuasion will get them to come on the mission," Taylor smiled.

"If you're so sure..." Hiiragi told her, standing up.

Taylor stood up as well and she looked up at Hiiragi. His gaze seemed distant and he didn't look like he was looking at anything in particular. He must've been thinking longingly about his future Taylor and his children. The sadness filling his heterochromic gaze made Taylor reach up to his face and hold his face in her hands. Snapping out of his thoughts, he looked down at her and was surprised.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" she asked.

"W-Well...I mean..."

She sighed and stood up on her toes and she kissed him right on the mouth. He put his hands on her waist and immediately returned the kiss. After a few moments, Taylor pushed away and looked to the side in embarrassment.

"I figured you'd missed it a lot, so I thought I would try to cheer you up," she told him. "I hate when people kiss me, except my dad and grandpa, but you looked like you missed it."

"I do," Hiiragi admitted. "Thank you..."

Taylor turned and walked towards the door, "Well let's get some breakfast. I can smell whatever my father is making. Think it's miso and rice..."

Hiiragi nodded and followed her out to the kitchen. There, Hiiragi sat down at the table and Taylor walked up to her father and hugged him tiredly. He looked to the side at her, surprised she was up. Gently, he put an arm around her and held her close.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he greeted in surprise.

"Morning, Daddy," she greeted quietly.

"How're you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess," Taylor rested her head on his chest and he gently stroked her hair.

"Are you hungry?" Kakashi asked her gently.

"A little bit," she yawned. "I need to eat...in case we start the mission today."

"Of course," Kakashi nodded. "Although, are you sure you want to do the mission while you're sick?"

"Yeah," Taylor nodded. "I'll be fine."

"Well, I'll make you some ginger tea just to make sure," he told her, reached above him to open the cabinet. He reached in and grabbed the box of ginger tea and he pulled out a tea bag.

"So uhm, Daddy," Taylor started. "Do you want to go on the mission to defeat the bad guys?" Taylor asked out of curiosity.

"Which bad guys?" Kakashi asked. "Gotta be specific, there are a lot out there."

"Dad...you know what I meant..." Taylor grumbled.

"I'm just messing with you," Kakashi chuckled. "Yes, I'd like to if my help is required. Is it?"

"Well, on the second team," Taylor told him. "Hiiragi wants to have two teams, since I guess there's a lot of them. My team will have the older Hiiragi and Dalzen. I think Harou should come too. Then your team will have the younger Hiiragi, Ibiki, and Dura."

"Are you sure about Harou and Dura?" Kakashi asked. "They seem to not be very confident in their own abilities."

"Neither was Coushander and he still came to my rescue seven years ago," Taylor pointed out.

"Hm..." Kakashi remembered that. "Alright, I give you that one."

"I'm sure they have something that can help with the fighting," Taylor assured.

"If you're so sure, then alright," Kakashi shrugged.

"I'm sure," Taylor smiled at her father.

"Alright," Kakashi shrugged. "You two going to go to Intel to talk to Inoichi about doing the mission?"

"Yeah," Taylor nodded.

"Well, he's already setting up the mission," Hiiragi said. "We just gotta go there to confirm and then we pack up."

"We need to get some horses though," Taylor said.

"Why do we need horses?" Kakashi asked.

"Because, there is no way in hell Hiiragi is going to make it there by walking," Taylor told her father. "It's just not gonna happen, but he wants to be there to watch them be defeated."

Kakashi looked over his shoulder at Hiiragi. He was looking rather weak. How close to death was he? He looked back at his daughter and nodded in agreement.

"I see. Horses aren't a bad option," he told her.

"No, they're not," Taylor agreed.

"Well, after you guys find out more about the mission, come back to let me know where to meet up and when," Kakashi told her.

"We will," Taylor grinned.

"Good," Kakashi put his arm over her shoulder and continued keeping an eye on the food until it was done.

Hiiragi was too sick to his stomach to even try eating, so Taylor and Kakashi ate together while Hiiragi looked out the window with a distant gaze. Kakashi looked over at Taylor, wondering why he wasn't eating.

"Why didn't he want any food?" he asked.

"He hasn't been eating lately," Taylor explained. "I don't think he's eaten in three days really. Food makes him sick. I guess it's because he's dying."

"I suppose so," Kakashi shrugged. "Well, I see..." He looked at her, "So how come you don't look all that worried about it?"

Taylor shrugged, "Dunno."

"It's because she doesn't know me as well," Hiiragi answered in a strained voice. "I understand, though...Hard to worry about someone dying if you hardly know them or love them..."

"Perhaps," Kakashi sipped the rest of his miso as Taylor finished her rice. "Well, I see you're finished."

"Yeah," Taylor nodded.

"You two should go now," Kakashi rose to his feet. "Don't worry about the dishes, I've got it."

"Are you sure?" Taylor asked, standing up.

Kakashi nodded, "Yes. You just take Hiiragi and get the information about the mission and come back here for me."

"Okay, Daddy," Taylor helped Hiiragi stand up and Kakashi circled around to give her a kiss.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," he assured her. "We'll get them."

"I know," Taylor nodded. "Thank you."

Kakashi nodded and allowed Taylor to take off with Hiiragi.

...

When they got to Intel they found Dalzen, Ibiki, and Inoichi all standing together outside of Intel, talking. When Hiiragi and Taylor arrived, they immediately stopped talking and looked up. Inoichi put his hands behind his back and straightened himself.

"Mr. Morino," he greeted. "Miss Hatake."

"Inoichi-Sama," Taylor and Hiiragi both offered an awkward bow since Taylor had to help him stand.

"I see you two are finally here," Inoichi nodded. "Good. I was just telling Dalzen and Ibiki the objectives. The mission starts today, you are going to the mountains to infiltrate and ambush the terrorist organization, Nikumu Moeteiru."

"So they've been upped to terrorists?" Taylor asked.

Inoichi gave a curt nod, "After what happened yesterday, we have every reason to believe they are terrorists."

"Of course."

"Your goal is to obviously eliminate them," Inoichi told them. "Now for teams..."

"I recommend two teams," Hiiragi told him. "Taylor, Dalzen, Harou, and I on one team—"

"Harou?" Inoichi asked. "Who is Harou?"

"He's a friend of mine," Dalzen said. "He's from the past." He turned to Taylor and Hiiragi, "But what makes you think that Harou would be a good fit for the team?"

"Well, there's no one else we can think of," Hiiragi told him. "On the other team you would have Kakashi, the younger me, Ibiki and Dura."

"So we have you and your younger self?" Ibiki asked.

"He should be there for Taylor," Hiiragi said. "I'm about to die, I don't know when. Prolly within the next day or two...I don't know...I want the younger me there for Taylor's comfort."

"Alright, fine I suppose," Inoichi sighed.

"Plus, I'm a medic," Hiiragi pointed out. "Everyone is going to need a medic after this."

"Probably," Dalzen agreed. "Well, I suppose we should round everybody up."

"I'll get Dura," Ibiki told them.

"I'll go get the younger Hiiragi," Dalzen added.

"I'm getting my dad," Taylor said. "And I'll get Harou too. Just might take some persuasion..."

"Some? You mean _a lot_ of persuasion?" Dalzen asked, then shook his head, "Oh Harou is going to say no...He's going to think it's all hopeless. You can give it a go, but I'm not sure..."

"I'm sure you can do it," Ibiki assured Taylor. "I've got Dura and he's easier to persuade. Who knows, you might be able to persuade Harou."

"I'd be surprised," Dalzen told his grandson. "But, I suppose it cannot hurt to try."

Taylor smiled.

"Alright, both teams are to gather up supplies and meet at the gates in an hour," Inoichi told them. "I will be waiting there to wish everybody good luck."

"Wait, one more thing," Hiiragi remembered. "Horses. We need horses."

"Why do we need horses?" Ibiki asked.

"Hiiragi is too weak to walk on his own," Taylor explained. "I can't hold him up on my own, and we need to get there as fast as we can so we can get this done and over with before he dies."

"I suppose that's a valid point," Dalzen agreed.

"Well then, I will talk to Tsunade about the mission and then I shall find some horses. How many?"

"Four," Taylor told him. "We'll have two people on each horse. The elder Hiiragi and I on one horse, Dalzen and Harou on another, my father and the younger Hiiragi on the third one and Dura and Ibiki on the last one."

"I see," Inoichi nodded. "Well then, I suppose I am off to obtain some horses for the group. Meet at the gates in an hour, ready to go. Got it?"

"Got it," everyone agreed.

"Very well," Inoichi and everyone exchanged bows and went off in different directions to do what they had to.

.

.


	10. The Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter Ten**

The Calm Before the Storm

.

.

Coushander didn't sleep well the previous evening. In fact, he couldn't help but wonder how Taylor was doing with Dalzen. He wondered if she was traumatized by nearly being kidnapped and almost killed. Was Taylor okay? The elder Hatake was in the mood to find out when he woke up after a few hours of sleep. He climbed out of bed and put his kimono on. He looked at Kano, who was still asleep beside him. She was quiet and he thought quietly about the news she told him the night before. He was about to be a father... _again_. In less than six months, she told him. Well, that explained why most of the shirts she wore was pretty loose-fitting on her. That way, he wouldn't be able to notice anything. She wanted to keep it as a secret until the right time. Well, not that last night was a good time but at least with Taylor being at Dalzen's, his mind would be too preoccupied for him to even care. And she was right.

He sighed and kissed Kano before leaving the room. Just as he left, he found Kakashi walking back to his and Naruto's room with water. He was obviously sleepy, but he noticed Coushander walking down the hall, like he was going to leave for something.

"Hey...Coushander...are you okay?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah," Coushander coughed. "I'm fine."

"Are you leaving?" Kakashi asked.

"For a little while..." Coushander whispered, looking to the side. "I'm going to see Taylor..."

"Oh..." Kakashi looked down. "I'll...tell Kano when she wakes up."

"Thank you," Coushander quickly brushed past Kakashi and went into the living room to slip his sandals on. Once he was ready, he quickly left for Dalzen's house, hidden somewhere in the village.

When he got there, he knocked and Dalzen quickly answered the door.

"Oh thank god you're here," Dalzen breathed in relief.

"What's wrong?" Coushander asked.

"Teal...well Teal hasn't entirely warmed up to Taylor," Dalzen nodded inside. "And Hina left me with the kids today. I can't go to Intel. Help..."

Coushander nodded and Dalzen let him inside. When he got inside, he saw Taylor and Teal facing each other, and Taylor looked pretty pissed. And by pissed, she had tears streaming down her face from being upset.

"Are you sure you're a girl?" Teal asked her. "You look like a boy!"

"I'm...a...girl!" Taylor growled.

"But your hair is so spiky! No girl would have that kind of hairstyle," Teal pointed out

"So what?" Taylor crossed her arms.

"You should've been a boy if you want to look like one so bad."

"Alright, Teal!" Dalzen groaned. "That is enough."

Coushander rushed over to Taylor and scooped her up, glaring at Teal.

"I don't know how to get him to stop bugging her," Dalzen sighed as he gestured for Coushander to sit down. "He doesn't seem to understand that she's already feeling alone, she doesn't need anything else to upset her."

Taylor clutched Coushander's kimono as he sat down with her. Dalzen turned to Teal.

"Now you go on to your room," Dalzen told him. "And think about what you did."

"Ugh..." Teal turned and stormed off to his room. Dalzen looked at Coushander.

"I wish I could be home more," he sighed to his friend. "Think Teal is starting to rebel."

"He's getting close to being a teenager," Coushander agreed.

"I know," Dalzen nodded. "Kinda feel bad that I've rarely been there for him and Hoshi. At least Hoshi isn't showing signs of teen rebellion."

"Guess you've got that going for you," Coushander agreed.

"Guess so," Dalzen gave a sad smile. "So, are you doing okay, Coushander?"

"I'm fine now that I have Taylor back," Coushander answered.

"She's not yours, you know," Dalzen pointed out. "She's Kakashi's. You're just her great-grandfather..."

"I-I know," Coushander looked down.

"I know, you'd rather her be your daughter," Dalzen sighed. "Sakumo was just too much for you."

"I might possibly have a daughter," Coushander suddenly said.

"Might possibly?" Dalzen repeated. "You mean..."

"Yes," Coushander nodded. "Kano told me last night..."

"Damn..." Dalzen blinked in disbelief. "Congrats...I think..." He was reluctant because what if the kid was another boy and he came out to be just like Saru? Dalzen gave a heavy sigh and hoped that wouldn't be the case. Maybe Coushander would luck out and the kid would be just like Taylor.

Coushander shrugged and silence fell over the two friends.

...

Taylor first took Hiiragi to her father's house and told her father about what was going on. She gathered her book and some clothes from her room and then headed off with Hiiragi to her grandfather's house to get Harou and a couple of weapons from Taylor's room there. When they got to the gate, Taylor turned to Hiiragi and he looked at her.

"Why don't you stay here?" she suggested.

"Yeah, I might as well," he shrugged. "You sure you'll be safe?"

"Hiiragi, Grandpa's house is like fifteen minutes from the village," Taylor assured him. "I'll be fine by myself."

"Fine," Hiiragi sighed.

Taylor kissed his cheek and then dashed off to get Harou and some more stuff from her room there. When she got there, she found herself coughing heavily from the dry air and from her being sick. Her head was pounding and she had to sit still until she regained her breath.

"Advil..." she muttered. "I need some advil..." She straightened and then opened the front door, "Grandpa, I'm going on a mission!"

"Okay!" she heard him respond from the kitchen as she walked in.

Taylor looked around in curiosity, "Is Harou in Dalzen's room?"

"Yeah," Sakumo nodded. "Why?"

"Uhm, just curious..." Taylor lied and walked down to Dalzen's room, but before she got there, she made a stop in the bathroom to get an advil for her headache. After taking a pill, she headed back out to Dalzen's room and then she knocked on the door, "Harou-San!"

"Go away!" he groaned.

"I'm coming in," she told him.

"No, please do—"

Taylor opened the door and walked inside. She smiled at him kindly and walked up to him as he stood up on his futon.

"Taylor," he muttered. "What are you doing here? You should be with your father, you're not safe here."

She put her hands behind her back, "Uhm well...I'd like you to be on my team so we can go up to the mountains."

"To the mountains?" Harou asked, crossing his arms. "What's in the mountains?"

"Nikumu Moeteiru," Taylor explained. "We have to infiltrate, ambush, and eliminate them."

"And you would like _my_ help?" Harou scoffed. "Absolutely not! I see no point being mixed in with that kind of thing. I'll just stay here and hope for my return the my time comes soon."

Taylor scratched the back of her head, "Oh...well, Dalzen said you'd say no, and that you'd probably think it was all hopeless but I figured I'd ask anyway since it's the polite thing to do..."

Harou immediately got mad at the thought of Dalzen saying that about him. Taylor was shocked by his sudden expression of anger. She was so used to him being calm and collected, but obviously what she told him set him off.

"Sign me up then!" he exclaimed. "It may be hopeless, but I'll give Dalzen a run for his money!"

Taylor smiled, "That's the spirit!"

Harou immediately began looking around for stuff to pack. Clothes, obviously. Weapons... He put his hand on his shuriken holster but he didn't have any shuriken in there. He reached behind him for his weapons pouch and that was empty too!

"Shit, I don't have any weapons..."

"I have some in my room," Taylor said, watching him. "I keep a stock of kunai and shuriken under my bed..."

"I'd like some, then," Harou told her.

Taylor nodded.

"I think that's all I'll need," he muttered under his breath.

"You need a bag?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah," Harou told her.

"My grandpa has one," Taylor told him. "He can help you with that."

"Thank you," Harou thanked, seeming a bit calmer now. "You just go get your stuff... I'll talk to Sakumo."

"Okay," Taylor inclined her head and left to gather her weapons. When she went to her room, she gathered her katana and her other smaller weapons. She stuffed her shuriken into the holster and then stuffed her kunais into her weapons pouch. She took her katana holster and slung it over her shoulder and she sheathed Saru's katana inside this time. She always used Coushander's katana, for once she figured she should use Saru's. She grabbed her journal and tossed it into her backpack with a pen and some seals. She looked to the side at her photo of Coushander and Saru. "I've gotta kill my brother. I don't want to...but I'm so worried I have to..."

Harou was walking past her room when he heard her muttering about having to kill her brother. He stopped and looked inside and saw her gazing sadly at the photo of Coushander and Saru she had.

"T-Taylor?" he wondered.

She looked up and immediately tossed a couple of kunai and shuriken at him, "Catch!"

Harou was surprised but he was able to catch the weapons as she tossed them at him. He quickly put the weapons into their respective pouches

"Uh...thanks, I think," he thanked. "Uhm...are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine," Taylor breathed. "Why?"

"You were muttering something odd," Harou told her. "You said something about killing your brother."

Taylor held the sharp blade of the kunai she'd picked up against the palm of her hand, gazing down sadly.

"My elder brother, who was dead, was brought in as a pawn to get me," she whispered. "I gotta kill him. I don't want to have to kill him...but something tells me there may not be any other way."

"You don't have to do anything if you want want to," Harou told her.

"Well, I have to stop him..." Taylor told him.

"If you say so," Harou told her.

They heard the front door open and then heard Dalzen's voice. Harou glared down the hallway, waiting to see Dalzen. Taylor put the kunai away and walked out of her room and stood next to Harou, watching quietly.

"Hey Sakumo, got a mission!" Dalzen said. "Taylor and I are taking Harou. Well, if she managed to convince him somehow..."

"Hm, so that's why Taylor wanted to know where he was," they heard Sakumo say out loud.

"Yeah," Dalzen turned towards the hallway and he jumped back in surprise at Harou. "Oh uhm, hey Harou...How's it going?"

Harou glared at Dalzen and then brushed past him angrily. Dalzen looked at Taylor, confused.

"Uhm, what's wrong with him?" he asked.

"I may have told him you said he'd be hopeless..." Taylor looked at Dalzen. "However, it got him to agree to come..."

"Oh shit," Dalzen laughed. "I don't think anyone's ever told you but Harou and I have a uhm...friend/enemy relationship. We love to hate each other, oftentimes."

"Wow, you guys haven't really acted like that though," Taylor said.

"Well, I hadn't picked on him or anything yet," Dalzen told her. "He hasn't had any reason to get mad at me."

"Oh..."

"So uhm, you just take Harou to the gate and I'll be there in a few minutes," Dalzen told her. "Alright?"

"Of course," Taylor nodded.

Dalzen inclined his head at Taylor and then left for his room. Taylor walked out to the living room, where Harou and Sakumo were waiting. Sakumo was handing Harou a bottle of cold water and when Taylor came in, he gave her the other one which was her own water bottle with the kana for her name. She smiled.

"Thanks, _Ojiisan_ ," she smiled.

He smiled back at her, "You're very welcome. Now you guys be safe...and good luck with Mitsuho."

"Thanks," Taylor looked down.

Harou crossed his arms, "I'll keep her out of trouble."

"She'll find a way to get into trouble," Sakumo shrugged. "Just make sure she doesn't die."

"I'll do that too," Harou agreed.

Sakumo kissed Taylor on her head and then she and Harou left for the gate of the village. Already there was Hiiragi, Dura, Inoichi and the younger Hiiragi. The younger Hiiragi looked ready with his medic's pouch and the backpack on his back, which Taylor knew was full of bandages and some antibacterial cream and hydrogen peroxide. He probably had a blanket in there and some clothes too. She realized she forgot her blanket.

"Fuck...I forgot my blanket..." she sighed. "Oh well...I can share a blanket with Daddy..."

Inoichi looked at Taylor, "Dalzen coming?"

"Yeah, he'll be here in a few minutes," Taylor assured.

"Okay." He looked over his shoulder. "There's Kakashi...I think there's Ibiki too."

The younger Hiiragi nodded in agreement and after a couple moments, they were joined by Kakashi and Ibiki. After a few more minutes, Dalzen was there and they could mount their horses. Dalzen helped Taylor get up onto her horse, and then he and Kakashi helped the elder Hiiragi up behind Taylor. Harou finally noticed his son was there, mounting a horse behind Ibiki. An overwhelming feeling of unease fell over Harou as he realized he was on a mission with his son. Did Dura know how to protect himself? Was he capable of defending himself?

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he saw it was Dalzen.

"You're on my horse," Dalzen told him.

"I'll take the front seat," Harou huffed, climbing up onto the horse.

"Alright, if you say so..." Dalzen climbed up behind him.

The younger Hiiragi mounted behind Kakashi on their horse, and everyone was set to go. Inoichi stood before them and bowed, "I wish all of you the best of luck in completing this mission." He stepped aside and gestured ahead, "You guys may go. The future of Konoha and the planet are in your hands."

"Of course," everyone nodded and immediately the drivers of the horses immediately gave a flick of the reins and off they all went.

...

Coushander decided to take Taylor out for ice cream. Knowing Coushander, Dalzen tagged along just in case there was another attempt on Taylor. Besides, Dalzen needed to get away from Teal's vehement negativity towards the youngest Hatake. He didn't hate her, it was just he didn't like how she was taking the attention away from him and Hoshi, and Dalzen decided that he should let Hina talk sense into Teal since he wouldn't take Dalzen's valid reasoning behind letting Taylor stay with them.

The elder Hatake looked down at Taylor, surprised by how quiet she was. However, he noticed she was looking at something but when he followed her gaze, he didn't see anything. Confused, he looked at Dalzen.

"Dalzen, what is she looking at?" he whispered.

Dalzen looked but he didn't see anything either.

"I don't see anything," he said.

"She sees something we can't," Coushander looked worried. "I wonder what it is."

Taylor could see a man who looked like her father, but shorter. She didn't notice that, though. He was standing around, whistling. Eventually, she looked up at Coushander with curious, big, bright, blue eyes and tugged on his kimono.

"Grandpa, who's that?" she pointed at the strange figure.

"I don't see anyone," Coushander told her.

"He looks like Daddy though," Taylor told him. "He looks just like Daddy...but he has red stripes on his eyes."

"Red...stripes?" Coushander and Dalzen both repeated.

"Saru..." Dalzen realized. "Remember? Taylor said she could see and communicate with Saru."

"It's possible..." Coushander looked away sadly.

Saru was his elder brother, who had died many years ago. It was still painful to think about, but after Taylor had told him that Saru watched over him and loved him still, it made him feel better knowing that he was still there. It was nice to know that he was there right now too.

Taylor looked down, thinking they didn't believe her. Coushander clutched her hand comfortingly.

"It's okay," he told her. "I think the person you're seeing is here to protect you."

She looked back up, surprised. Though, Dalzen was even more surprised by Coushander's response.

"Coush—"

Coushander smiled, "He protects me too, y'know. He's a guardian angel."

"R-Really?" Taylor looked surprised.

He nodded, "Yes. He protects all Hatake heirs."

Taylor gasped, "That's so cool!"

Dalzen was amazed that Coushander would ever describe Saru like that, so he gave his friend a confused look as he sent her off to get her own ice cream.

"Coushander, what were you trying to do?" he asked.

"Trying to make her feel not so lonely," Coushander answered, looking at her sadly. "And to make her feel less scared."

"Wow," Dalzen remarked. "I know you're really nice to her, but that's going above and beyond being nice."

"Well, she's my great-granddaughter..."

Dalzen gave a wry smile, "I think Saru would be rather proud of you..."

"Perhaps he would," Cou nodded in agreement.

...

As they rode their horses, the elder Hiiragi was beginning to feel weaker and weaker. Eventually he was lying right against Taylor's back, resting his head on her shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her waist and he made a soft sound. She looked at him as she flicked the reins again and she could tell he might not last any longer. He might not even make it to the mountains. Taylor pulled out a pocket watch with a dragon-design etched onto it and looked at the time. It was barely past three in the afternoon; they've been riding for three hours. She closed it and looked back at Hiiragi when he whimpered.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

He shook his head, "I feel really nauseous and extremely weak..."

Dalzen looked over at the elder Hiiragi as Harou kept his focus on the horse.

"You're not about to die on us, are you?" he asked in a serious voice.

"I-I don't know," Hiiragi admitted. "I don't know what dying feels like."

He began trembling and Taylor pulled the reins to stop the horse, "We need to take a break!"

"What's wrong?" Kakashi asked as he pulled the reins back on his horse.

"Yeah really," Ibiki wondered.

Once everyone had stopped, the elder Hiiragi climbed off the horse rather clumsily and he fell down on his knees. Taylor hopped off the horse and landed beside Hiiragi in a kneeling position.

"Hiiragi-san?" she asked as he tried to get back on his feet to get away from Taylor so he wouldn't puke on her.

She watched as he stumbled towards the tree and once he got there, he puked up whatever he could, and much to everyone's surprise he puked up blood. Then, he fainted. Kakashi hopped off of his horse to help and Taylor ran over to Hiiragi and crouched beside him with worry.

"Hiiragi," she said. "Hiiragi, are you okay?"

Kakashi noticed where Hiiragi had puked and noticed it was nothing but blood. There was nothing else in it, and the only scent was that of the iron in the blood.

"Oh my," he remarked with surprise. "That is nothing but blood."

The younger Hiiragi hopped off of the horse and rushed over in case his medical assistance was needed. Taylor kept slapping Hiiragi in the face to wake him up.

"Hiiragi, please hang in there," she whispered. "Please..."

"It's only three in the afternoon," Kakashi looked up at the sky. "There isn't much reason to set up camp until later."

"Let me see if I can heal him," the younger Hiiragi suggested.

"Is it even okay to have both the elder and younger Hiiragi together like this?" Dura wondered out loud.

"I can't sit back and let him die," the younger told Dura as he put two fingers on the elder's neck on his jugular vein. "I gotta do it." He paused. "His pulse is very weak and his breathing is shallow. We need to set up camp for now until he's better, though I don't believe he will get better..."

"Is he dying?" Taylor asked as Dalzen hopped off his horse and put his hands on her shoulders to comfort her.

The younger gave a sad nod as he turned to look at her, "I think so. That's why I think we should stop and rest, in case he dies which is more than likely."

"So if he dies, do we bury him?" Dalzen asked out of morbid curiosity.

"If I'm right, after we defeat Nikumu Moeteiru, he might disappear like he was never here," Taylor answered. "So I doubt burying him will do any good if he's just going to disappear."

"I suppose you're right," Dalzen agreed.

"Let's set up camp, guys," Kakashi turned and began seeking out a location they could hide out at. "This is not the best place to hide out at...unfortunately, I don't know where else to hide."

"There's a clearing a bit down that way," Harou pointed.

"That might just work," Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"Well, let's get someone to carry the elder Hiiragi," Ibiki said.

"You do it," Dalzen glanced at Ibiki. "He's _your_ son."

"Yeah," Kakashi agreed.

"I'd like to see you carry him," Dura stifled a giggle at Ibiki's expression.

"That boy is the same height as me!" Ibiki exclaimed.

"And there's no one who is taller than you," Dalzen pointed out. "Hell, I'm shorter than you by a small margin."

"No you're not," Ibiki said.

"Last time I went to the doctor for a physical check up, they told me I'm 6'4 1/2" inches," Dalzen crossed his arms. "You're 6'5"."

Ibiki blushed and everyone looked at him expectantly.

"Well?" Dura asked with a teasing smile. "You go carry your son."

"Yeah, _Dad_ ," the younger Hiiragi teased.

"Yeah, Ibiki!" Taylor teased also.

"Ugh, fiiiiine," Ibiki groaned. "I'll do it."

He walked over and scooped up the elder Hiiragi and then turned to Harou, "Lead me to the clearing?"

Harou sighed and nodded, "Of course."

"Let's round up the horses," Taylor suggested.

"Of course," Kakashi agreed and together they began rounding up the horses. The younger Hiiragi helped and once the horses were all rounded up, they followed Harou to the clearing he had mentioned and they immediately set up camp there.

"It's too cold to do this," Taylor grumbled.

"Unfortunately, I don't think we have any choice," the younger Hiiragi told her. "If you're cold, you can come curl up with me."

Taylor sighed, "I guess I can."

She walked over to him and sat with him. He put his arm around her shoulders and his blanket was draped over her shoulders. Dalzen started a fire, trying out a fire technique to start the fire. Kakashi sat on the other side of Taylor and he put his arm over her shoulders as well. Harou decided to sit down next to Kakashi and Dura sat on the other side, next to the younger Hiiragi. Once Ibiki set up their tents after about an hour (since he seemed to be the only one who really knew how to) he gestured at them.

"Got it done..." he sighed.

"Thanks," Kakashi thanked. "So who sleeps in which tent? There are two, and they're both big enough to fit four people."

"I figured we'd sleep with our teams," Taylor said.

"If you really want to," Kakashi shrugged.

Taylor looked down and shrugged. Kakashi put a comforting hand on her shoulder and then rubbed her back and everyone sat in silence. Occasionally, someone would glance over at the elder Hiiragi, who they had sitting against a tree so everyone could make sure he wasn't dead yet. At this point, there wasn't much they could do for him. He was just going to die soon. Taylor rested her head against Kakashi's chest and stared at the fire. She wanted to pretend she was okay, but in reality she wasn't really okay.

After they ate their packed bentos later that evening, and Kakashi had made his daughter her own bento and Sakumo made Harou and Dalzen bentos, they were all getting ready to go to sleep when they heard the elder Hiiragi groan softly. Everyone looked at him and Taylor walked over to him, crouching beside him.

"Hiiragi?" she whispered.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her, looking really weak. He reached a weak hand over to her hand and he held it as tight as he could. He sat up slowly and moaned softly.

"I feel so weak," he whispered. "I think I'm alive, though..."

"Seems like you're alive," Taylor responded. "Did you want to go inside our tent?"

He gave a weak nod, "Yeah. I'd like that."

"Alright," Taylor put an arm around him and helped him to stand up. When they stood up, she led him to their tent and laid him down. Dalzen and Harou followed her inside and they sat down with Taylor.

"Is he okay?" Dalzen asked.

"He's alive...for now," Taylor looked down.

"I'm surprised he's still alive," Harou remarked, looking away awkwardly.

"You and me both," the elder Hiiragi coughed. "I suppose my time isn't right now..."

"No, not yet," Dalzen agreed.

Taylor looked to him and sighed.

"Hey Dalzen, can we share a blanket?" she asked. "I forgot mine."

"Sure, kiddo," Dalzen nodded slowly at her.

Hiiragi nodded, "Yeah...I think I'd rather you not sleep with me."

"How come?" Taylor asked in curiosity.

"Well..." Hiiragi sighed. "For one, I'm nauseous as hell. Two, I'm dying... Three...it'll save you the heartbreak if you wake up next to me and I'm dead. Hell, I don't know if I'll even fall asleep tonight. I feel so close to death, I don't want to risk dying when I'm sleeping...I want to be awake."

"Why would you want that?" Dalzen asked. "It sounds so painful..."

"The last person I want to see and talk to before I die...I want it to be Taylor," Hiiragi coughed heavily into the sleeve of his jacket. "I don't want to not see her face and then die without her holding my hand..."

Taylor frowned, but nodded.

"I suppose that's fine," she sighed.

Dalzen gestured for Taylor to get under his blanket with him so she didn't freeze to death and he lied down with her.

"Don't hog the blankets," he told her. "I know you like to wrap up completely in the blanket..."

"Well..." Taylor blushed.

"You know it's true," Dalzen told her.

"I-I know..." Taylor blushed.

"Goodnight," Dalzen said.

"Goodnight," Taylor, Hiiragi, and surprisingly Harou, said.

...

Taylor dreamt of seeing her brother again, wearing that strange armor she saw him wear when she was 6. He had his metal mask on, and it looked very much like a skull's face. He seemed rather scary, considering the armor he was wearing. He seemed rather calm, for the moment. Taylor approached him, reluctantly.

"Mitsuho?" she whispered.

He turned his head and looked at her.

"I-I'm not gonna kill you," Taylor assured. "I swear."

He stayed quiet as she approached. Then, when she got to him she reached up towards his mask to take it off. Without any warning, he swung a sword at her and she tried to dodge, but the sword managed to get both of her hands. She looked up at him in horror as he pointed it at her.

"You may not kill me," he started in a heavy and raspy voice. "But I'm going to kill _you_. Farewell, sister."

She screamed and she woke up from the nightmare with a cry of fear. She sat up quickly and looked at her hands, seeing that they were there. She breathed in relief, and then looked around. She noticed that it was already morning and the only other person in the tent was Harou. Taylor touched her hand over her heart as she tried to calm down, and she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she looked up, it was Harou, who looked a bit worried.

"Taylor, are you okay?" he asked gently.

"Y-Yeah..." she breathed. "Just a bad dream..."

"You sure?" Harou asked.

"Yeah..." Taylor and Harou both jumped when they heard someone outside the tent call out for Taylor. After a few moments, they realized the elder Hiiragi was possibly about to die.

"Taylor...!" they heard his weak call.

"Taylor," they heard Dalzen outside the tent as he opened the door. "Something's wrong with the older Hiiragi...he wants you."

"O-Okay..." Taylor looked at Harou, looking very worried. "Harou..."

"I'll come with," he offered. "If...if it'll help you any..."

Taylor clutched her hands and nodded nervously, "I don't know if I can handle this. I mean...I don't know the elder Hiiragi very well...but I feel the bond with him and I think I'm gonna cry."

"Don't worry," Harou assured. "Kakashi'll be with you and so will Dalzen and I. If you need to cry, we'll be here for you."

"Wow, never thought you cared about me that much," Taylor admitted.

"I don't see why I shouldn't," Harou told her. "You and Sakumo and Dalzen gave me a place to stay...you guys were kind to me..."

"O-Oh," Taylor blushed.

"Come on, we shall go see if Hiiragi is dying," Harou took her hand and he led her out of the tent by crawling out.

When they got outside, Dura had taken the younger Hiiragi to feed the horses since the younger Hiiragi probably shouldn't watch what was going on. Ibiki stood guard of the camp, while Dalzen and Kakashi watched over the elder Hiiragi. Harou and Taylor stood up together and walked over to the elder Hiiragi, who was sitting up against a tree. Harou gestured for Taylor to kneel down beside him and she reluctantly knelt beside Hiiragi.

"H-Hiiragi?" she whispered.

He opened one eye to look at Taylor. He looked so weak and frail and he opened his mouth.

"I'm...dying..." he breathed. "I want you here...I want to kiss you one last time...please, if you would be so kind..."

"I suppose," Taylor scratched her cheek and leaned over to kiss him. He put his hand on the back of her head and held his hand there weakly. When she pulled away, she noticed a tear streaming down his face. She forced herself to bite back tears of her own. She didn't want to cry, however a tear managed to make its way down her cheek as she wiped away his tear.

"Will you...will you love me?" he asked. "Even after this?"

"..." Taylor wiped at her eyes. "Always."

"Th-Thank you..." Hiiragi's breathing became rather shallow, "I'm scared..."

"It's okay," Taylor assured. "You'll see me again, I promise."

"I'm scared there isn't an afterlife," Hiiragi told her.

"There is one, I can assure you," Taylor told him. "I've been there, Dalzen's been there..."

"I've been there," Kakashi admitted. "For like...five minutes. My dad was there too."

"So don't worry," Taylor assured. "You'll see me again."

"I hope so," Hiiragi inhaled deeply and tears streamed down his face. Taylor realized that he had not much time left. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and using his last breath he said, "I don't want to go..."

He tried to breathe one more time, but he couldn't. His heterochromic eyes turned lifeless and Taylor immediately felt an overwhelming sensation of sadness. Tears streamed down her face as she whimpered. Everyone cast their gaze down for a moment of silence for Hiiragi and then Kakashi knelt down beside his daughter and put a comforting hand on her shoulder as she started crying. Soon, Dalzen crouched beside her to comfort her as well, and soon Harou joined in.

She didn't know why she was crying, except perhaps because Hiiragi had died before he could see vengeance be taken upon Nikumu Moeteiru. He did everything he could to stay alive and so that he could see them die, but alas he didn't have as much time as he had originally thought. Was everything he did all in vain?

No. It can't have all been in vain. Taylor clutched her hands in a tight ball and made a promise to Hiiragi to defeat Nikumu Moeteiru and to make sure the younger versions of the members couldn't do what they did again in the future.

Once Taylor calmed down, Ibiki had finished packing away the tents and placing the bags on the horses. Kakashi and Dalzen had stood up and Harou stayed to make sure Taylor would be alright. She stood up and sniffled, looking at Harou.

"Th-Thank you, Harou," she thanked.

"It's nothing," he assured.

"Would you like me to ride with you?" the younger Hiiragi asked Taylor.

She looked at him and nodded sadly, "Please?"

"Sure thing," he smiled and they walked over to the horses and he helped her up onto their horse. Once everyone was on their horses, they left the elder Hiiragi's body behind. He would disappear after they complete their agenda of defeating Nikumu Moeteiru and arresting and executing the younger ones, who've already formed their group but not escalated anything yet.

...

 _When Hiiragi opened his eyes again, he had no clue where he was. He was lying in the middle of a meadow, surrounded by bright green grass and beautiful flowers. The sky was clear, the sun shone brightly. There was a gentle breeze and immediately, Hiiragi realized that he wasn't in agony anymore. He felt...great. He wasn't alive, but for some reason death felt great. No more pain, no more blood, no more sorrow and agony._

 _Suddenly, he heard singing. The voice was familiar and he listened to the voice with a smile forming on his thin lips._

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your eyes  
And when they open, the sun will rise

Here it's safe, and here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place, where I love you."

 _Hiiragi smiled and he sat up, seeing his wife standing there in a blue yukata and their children standing beside her. Matsuko had on her purple yukata, and Ryouma-Kousa was wearing his white kimono. Matsuko's jaw-length, jet-black hair flowed with her mother's hair and Ryouma's long, silver hair did the same thing. Hiiragi jumped to his feet and ran up to them, extremely excited. He threw his arms around them and began sobbing uncontrollably._

 _"My beautiful wife and children!" he cried. "I-I'm so sorry I couldn't save you guys."_

 _Taylor kissed his cheek, "It's not your fault. You were on a mission..."_

 _"I've lived so long with the guilt weighing on me," he sobbed into her shoulder. "I couldn't save everyone like I meant to..."_

 _"You wouldn't have been able to anyway," Taylor told him. "You were too weak." She gestured towards a palace, "The gods decided it was time to take you. Leave everything to the other me and the other you and Harou-san and everyone. Alright?"_

 _He nodded, but he still cried. Both their children smiled and hugged their father to comfort him. At last, the Hatake-Morino family was reunited and Hiiragi couldn't be happier._

.

.


End file.
